Edelle Elric The Fullmetal Alchemist
by chelseacote343
Summary: Ed is a girl. Fem!Ed. Taking place in both brotherhood and the original serise. Edelle Elric and her brother go through the serise, showing girl power to the extreme. First fanfiction written so go easy on me...
1. Lior

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed, there will be no Ed/ Roy romance in this story just parental relationship.**

 **This story was also inspired by :** **A Girl Can Still Hang With the Boys** by Ruby Tyra

 **I encourage you to check it out**

I stood in front of Colonel Bastards desk waiting for the information he had for me, he wasn't even looking at me just outside of the window, I turned to the team and they just shrugged it was Hawkeye's day off so Mustang wasn't going to be productive at all.

"Colonel Bastard?" I asked clearing my throat to get his attention. "You called me down here for a reason now what the hell do you want to talk about?" I asked crossing my arms, I used to put them on my hips but I learnt quickly that that was very feminine so I had to stop to get people from thinking about it. I've been in the military for at least two years now and as far as I know nobody has any idea that I'm actually a girl underneath all of this leather and attitude. Mustang turned the chair around and looked at me.

"Oh Fullmetal I didn't see you there becaus-" He started but I cut him off

"Because I'm so small, Mustang I was in the middle of things so unless this is important I'm leaving to go do my own research." I snapped at him, I wasn't in the mood for his condescending tone.

"I have news about the stone." He said flatly smirking under his hands that he was holding in front of his mouth.

"I'm listing." I said taking a step forward meeting his eyes.

"Ever heard of a place called Lior?" He asked I could hear the smirk in his voice. H stood up and walked to the map that was hanging on the wall and pointed to it, it was in the East, it was pretty close to Resembool, 'maybe we could stop by home on the way back if things go smoothly.' I laughed at my thoughts, since when do things go smoothly for us

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMF**

Thinking back now I realized that the bastard Colonel smiling wasn't a good thing, crossing the desert in automail wasn't my idea of fun. My arm was starting to heat up against my flesh when Al and I finally found Lior. I had to get somthing to drink when I found this fountain, I was beyond the point of caring so I cupped my hands and drank from my hand when someone yelled at me.

"Kid what the hell are you doing? If you're that thirsty come over here for a drink." It was a bartender and a open window bar with seating right at the window. There was a radio cracking just above me and the man gave me a drink as I quickly swallowed it in one go, he gave me another one smirking. We were sitting at a bar listening to a preacher preach over the radio while I drank enough juice to lower my body temperature it was slowly coming down, the man somehow new I was hungry and put a plate of food in front of me I quickly ate as fast as I cold without choking.

"Anyway, what's with the broadcast?" I asked between bites, it was very preachy for my liking

"You haven't heard of Lord Cornello" The bartender asked, I shook my head trying to think if for some unknown reason I did know him.

"Who?" I asked again regretting it afterwards while the people enlightened us on who Cornello was. I zoned out out leading one of the men to scold me for my ignorance.

"You ain't listening kid."

"Nope I'm not interested in religion. I'm stuffed Al let's go." I said in the process of standing up, I wasn't here about their religious scam I was here to find the stone.

"Yep." Alphonse replied standing quickly and knocking over the radio that was perched on top of the bar's roof. As the radio hit the ground it smashed it pieces. The bartender started to yell at us. I was taken back from that and stumbled over a promise that it will be fixed.

"Uh brother? Can I fix it?" Al said keeping up the ruse that he had to learn over the years. I smiled at him for finally for saying brother without trying to say sister first.

"Sure Al go ahead." I responded feeling pride towards my little brother as he drew the transmutation circle in the dirt. It was a simple transmutation and Al did it perfectly.

"How's this" I pointed to the fixed radio at their reaction to the alchemy I felt it was time to introduce ourselves.

"Just call us the Elric brother." I wanted to cringe at calling myself a boy but over the years I learned that I had to deal with it, it was one of the prices that I had to pay to be in the military.

"We're sort of famous. The"Fullmetal Alchemist" Edward Elric." Their reactions made up for it until the inevitable, the people swarmed Al thinking he was the state alchemist. I flared my nostrils trying to keep my cool. I didn't even notice the girl walk up beside me or hear the conversation the girl had with the people, until someone said

"...rebirth to the dead.."

"Rebirth to the dead huh? Smells fishy." I looked up at my little brother.

I missed nothing ignoring that girl earlier, I didn't feel bad about dismissing her crazy idea of bringing people back from the dead. I admit that comparing myself to a god is a bit extreme but I had to get my point across. She was very mad at that it was almost funny how flustered she got at that.

I also didn't have a problem dismissing that Cornello fraud either. The fact that Cornello could create objects without equivalent exchange was interesting and promising, things that could only be done with a philosophers stone. I was staring at the man trying to find the stone, it would need to be near the object that he was transmuting, 'His ring!' all I had to do was get closer to Cornello to myself to see if it was really the stone.

We thought things were going smoothly until the priest pulled out a gun and shot at Alphonse. Their reaction when Al stood back up grabbed the gun from the man was priceless I almost wished that I could take a picture every time someone saw it, the best thing was it was a good distraction. I grabbed the man with my automail and threw him over my shoulder, The fight went fairly smoothly and then the lady saw the inside of Al. I decided to let Al deal with her while I put my brain on autopilot.

"...Sin of trespassing into God's forbidden domain" I smirked and rolled my eyes at him 'real poetic Al real poetic, my little brother is turning into a girl on me.'

"Okay let's stop this topic." I said while scratching my head trying to figure out whether or not the stone was real or if Cornello was just good at alchemy.

"NO! There has to be some mistake!" She screamed at me

"Geez he lady's already seen this much and she still believes in that fraud of a founder." I was getting frustrated with her, her shrill voice broke my train of thought.

"Rose, do you have the guts to see the truth?" I asked hoping she would agree and help us to get to Cornello.

Revised 2015-11-04

Hey guys I thought I would fix this because it was bugging me how many people read the first chapter but not the other ones. Hopefully this will fix this if not it was bugging me anyway, new chapter in the works.


	2. Nina

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed, there will be no Ed/ Roy romance in this story just parental relationship. Also gender-swapped Winry**

 **This story was also inspired by :** **A Girl Can Still Hang With the Boys** by Ruby Tyra

 **I encourage you to check it out**

"Rose told us were father Cornellos room was. Finally they go to meet the man with the philosophers stone. The door shut behind us.

"Welcome to our holy church. Did you come to learn our teachings?" The bald man said walking down the stairs.

"Yeah, I want you to tell us a bunch. Like this rule about tricking your believers with cheap alchemy." I said with a wicked smile growing on my face."

"Edward!" Roy interrupted my story

"Huh?" I asked "You wanted my report so shut up and listen."

"Ed, I wanted you to write the report down, not act it out"

"I have it written down right there at your desk, now do you want me to tell you about Yoki instead?"

"Did you write it?" Roy asked getting more and more agitated

"Yes."

"Then I'll read it"

"What about the train incident? Want me to tell you about how that went down?" I asked pressing each of his buttons trying to piss him off as much as possible.

"Did you write that one down Fullmetal?" Roy asked a keen smile growing on his face he caught me

"No it just happened when did you expect me to write it down?"

"Edward when I ask for all of your reports of your missions I mean every one, not just specific ones." Roy replied _'damn the bastard won this round.'_ Al sat down beside me now that the worst of the arguing was over.

"You owe me for this one Colonel." I said smiling knowing I had Mustang where I wanted him

"Fine I'll cave in what do you want?" Mustang said laying his hands down on his desk.

"I want you to take us to a library or introduce us to an Alchemist who knows about Biological transmutation, but I want to stay around here no more travelling for a while."

"Right now, God your impatient." Mustang stood and walked towards the bookcase "Shou Tucker, the Life Binding Alchemist." He placed his file on the desk to show Al and myself. "A man who has successfully transmuted a talking chimera and obtained a license to be a National Alchemist."

"Wait you mean it could talk like humans do?" I stood up compared to the chimera I just dealt with in Lior that was a major improvement.

"It only said one thing however, _"I want to die"_ then it starved itself until it died."

I swallowed hard "Oh well lets go anyway, just to see what sort of a person he is."

"Couldn't agree more." Roy stood up and walked towards the door, he looked back. "Are you coming or not?"

"Right now?" I stood up while talking

"Your the ones who want their bodies back asap." Roy left and we ran after him.

Huge, was the first word on my mind when I saw his house. Our home, the one we burnt down, wasn't anywhere near that big. Roy walked up and rang the doorbell. While I got tackled by a giant dog apparently named Alexander. The dog knocked the breath out of me, with the band around my chest compressing my boobs I wasn't taking full breaths to begin with. Now I was gulping for air. There was a small girl at the door she couldn't have been more then four. She reminded me of a younger me before I cut my hair short because I wanted to to have short hair like Al and Winston(Winry).

"Wow, lots of guests daddy!" She said clutching the doorknob. They invited us into the house and Mr Tucker served us tea as he excused the lousy house keeping. He said it was because his wife left him and that pissed me off, expecting his wife to do all of the work just because she is a woman. Then he properly introduced himself, and Roy stated why we were there.

"I don't mind at all if you use my library but I want to know why, if I'm laying down all of my cards so should you. Why are you interested n biological transmutation." Roy paled.

"Um... He..." He stumbled across his words. _'smooth ladies man smooth.'_

"Colonel" I held up my hand to stop him "Mr. Tucker does have a point." I started to undo my black jacket "And this is what the Fullmetal Alchemist has to show." I propped my metal arm up on the arm of the chair for him to see. I started to tell him our story, everything, expect for the part that I'm a girl, nobody knows that I'm one besides Winston, Al myself and Pinako.

"I see your mother..."His eyes looked towards the automail "It must have been painful." Tucker tried to sympathize with us. I just put myself through the ringer telling that story and just zoned out. Roy said something about keeping this secret. Then Tucker must have decided that I showed him all of my 'cards' and showed us to his lab. Nothing really grabs my attention seen one chimera seen them all. He walked back through the lab doors and to a set of double doors.

"This is my file room." Tucker said opening doors to a huge file room.

"Wow" Al and I said at the same time. I went right to the closest self and started browsing.

"Al you check that side I'll get this side." I grabbed the nearest book and fumbled it back and forth between my hands, I must have still looked out of it because Roy grabbed my shoulder and faced me towards him.

"I'm going back to work, I'll send someone to come and pick you up okay." He had concern in his eyes. I nodded and started reading. They kept talking I could hear them but not really.

The next thing I heard was the clock strike 4.

"What?" I looked up from the fort of books I assembled. "I've been reading for too long. Al! Alphonse!" crap man where did he run off to. I turned around to keep looking when I got mauled by that giant dog again. I heard Al walk over while I was trying to escape his grasp.

"Hi brother" he said _'okay so we aren't alone'_ I thought.

"Don't "Hi Brother" me what were you doing if you weren't looking for any files!" I yelled at him

"Um Nina looked like she wanted to play." Al said

"Alexander says he wants to play too, mister." Nina said from on top of his shoulders

"Oh, you got some guts to play with me." I said smiling wickedly and chased the dog while yelling.

"Yo Boss I'm here to get you." Havoc said with a questioning tone Alexander was sitting on me again "What the hell are you doing?"

"We were just taking a break from looking through those files," I said rushed then muttered "yeah something like that"

"So that means you found something helpful?" Tucker asked in his smooth eerie voice. I made a face that probably said enough.

"You can come back tomorrow then" He said with a smile I nodded smiling at him in thanks I made my way to Havoc

"Misters, are you going to come to see me again?" Nina asked Al I could tell he was smiling on the inside with the way his voice sounded.

"Yes let's play again tomorrow." Al told the toddler, Al was probably reminded of the younger me as well.

"Oh yeah Mr. Tucker I've got a message from the Colonel, _"Evaluation day is coming up don't forget"_ " Havoc told Tucker on our way out.

"Yes I understand" was the last thing we heard Tucker say before he shut the door.

I wasn't really reading I was just listening to Al and Nina talk about her mother.

"You're so lucky that you have a big brother to keep you company Al, I only have Alexander to play with." Nina said hugging the dogs neck.

"Actually" Al said "Ed isn't my big brother, he is my big sister. Her Name is Edelle." My head shot up and I glared at Al.

"Yes I am a girl. But you have to keep this secret, like you can't even tell your Daddy okay?" I looked at Nina. She was smiling at me.

"Okay Edelle!" she cheered.

"I'm a bit stiff from all this reading." I stood up stretching.

"Best relief for a stiff shoulders is exercise." Al said.

"Yeah I'll do some exercise in the garden. You Mutt! I need exercise so I'll play with you!" I yelled running up stairs

"Come on Nina you too." Al called from behind us. We spent the rest of the day playing in the Garden.


	3. Scar

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed, there will be no Ed/ Roy romance in this story just parental relationship.**

 **This story was also inspired by :** **A Girl Can Still Hang With the Boys** by Ruby Tyra

 **I encourage you to check it out**

It was cloudy the next day when we walked over to the Tucker house. When we got home the night before I bitched Al out for telling Nina our secret, after I calmed down I apologised for over reacting, which was rare for me. Al pulled me out of the past when he knocked on the door.

"It's going to be raining today." I said rubbing where my automail met my body. Al opened the door and walked in.

"Hello! Mr Tucker thanks in advance for today!" Al called into the house. No one was in the the entry way, or the kitchen or the living room. Al and I walked through the huge house looking for the Life Bending Alchemist. We went down to the lab next, maybe the two of them were there.

"Is there somebody here?" I asked as I opened the door.

"Oh it's you guys." Tucker smiled but it felt off not like the other ones he gave us, I felt the hair on the back on my neck stand. "Take a look at the finished product." He gestured to the chimera. "This is a chimera that can learn language." He called us closer to him and the chimera. "Watch this. Ready? This person is Edward." He said pointing to me. The creature looked at me then said "Ed...ward" Tucker patted it on the head like a dog

"I can't believe it's really talking" I said I was so amazed by the chimera that I didn't pay attention to what Tucker was rambling on about I was just listening to it.

"Edward, Edward... Ed... Elle. Edelle" The chimera said. My heart turned to ice and I swallowed hard

"Mr Tucker, when did your research on talking chimeras get approved and when did you get your licence?" I asked there was anger in my voice but I tried to keep it steady

"That was two years ago I think" The bastard responded.

"And when did your wife leave?"

"2 years ago"

"One last question... Where did Nina and Alexander go?" My voice turned to pure rage and Al clicked into what I was implying.

"God I hate smart kids like you." He said. That did it I grabbed him with my left arm and held him up against the wall.

"You son of a bitch, how dare you. You Bastard! Two years ago you used your wife and now you used your daughter and your dog to transmute a chimera!" I stopped using my boy voice and was full out yelling using my usual voice. He tried to say that we were the same. I got angrier one thing that is a sure way to piss me off besides calling me short was trying to assume people understand me no one did or does.

"Fullmetal Alchemist! Take a look at your limbs and your little brother!" That was a low blow. I hit him with my right arm Your the same you and I."

"Your wrong!" I stopped listening to him because I realized that he was right we were the same. "Your wrong!" I denied it even though I knew he was right I kept hitting him trying to make him shut up, it wasn't working I was about to punch him one more time but Al caught my arm.

"Brother if you hit him any more he'll die" I moved to take the final hit but Al tightened his grip I took a breath and let Tucker slide down the wall. Al ushered me to the door not trusting me near Mr Tucker. Shou Kept saying thing trying to make us see his view.

"Mr Tucker, If you keep talking this time I'll shut you up." Al threatened him, I looked up to my little brother wishing that he hadn't said that, that he was still my sweet little brother not some one like me. "Nina, I'm sorry we can't restore you with what we know right now. I'm sorry." Then again maybe he was still my little brother just grown up in a harder body.

"How long are you going to sulk like that?" Mustang asked me. We were outside of HQ sitting on the steps in the pouring rain

"Shut up" I scoffed a him. I wanted to be left alone with Al in my misery.

"You were the one who decided to to take use of the privileges being a state alchemist can give you. Even if they call you a dog of the military of a devil." He paused "Do you have time to take off for something as minor as this?"

"Minor as this huh?" I'll restore our bodies even if they call us devils or dogs but we aren't devils and defiantly not gods. We are human beings that couldn't even save a little girl." I stood at that point shouting my pain. Roy walked back up the steps and grabbed my shoulders he looked me straight in the eyes. His were filled of concern.

"Go back inside and rest. You'll catch a cold in this weather." He gave me a little shake and walked away.

I couldn't sleep that night I kept thinking of Nina and Tucker. But mostly what we believed alchemy was. Then some time around three I fell asleep. I was back in Resembool racing through the fields carrying a small horse that I transmuted, My hair flew as I ran, it was before I cut it short. Mom was standing there in the tomato field picking out tomatoes. I showed her the horse and for once she was proud of my alchemy, she praised my work something she never did went she was alive because she thought that it was a thing for men to do and not women. My dream turned to a nightmare when I saw the creature that we created when we tried to bring mom back. I threw myself awake, painting on the bed I curled up into a ball and tried not to cry.

Because of of what happened the night before we went to the office early the next morning. It was still raining which sucked, the atmosphere pressure made my automail parts ache. We were standing outside of Mustangs office about to go in when I turned around. Maybe I wasn't ready to go back to work yet.

"Edward?" Lieutenant Hawkeye called "You're up early this morning what's wrong?" She was holding her coat like she was planning to go outside a leave the office.

"I was just wondering... What's going to happen to Nina and Tucker?" I still couldn't get the day before out of my mind, Hawkeye looked surprised that we asked

"He was going to get his title removed and put on trial in Central... However the two of them died." _'What no we could have saved Nina'_ I was crushed Hawkeye started to leave, trying to end the conversation on our behave. "Officially they were murdered. I only tell you this because you were going to find out eventually." I chased after her

"No way by who?" I was running to keep up with her large strides.

"I don't know I'm going to the crime scene now."

"Take me with you." I went to grab her to stop her from leaving when she shot me down. "Why not."

"It's better that you didn't see." After she said that she left, and I let her. When I joined the military everyone treated me differently because I was a child to them. There was only two exceptions Mustang and Hawkeye. Mustang treated us like anyone of his subordinates, but Hawkeye treated us as equals. If she said that I didn't need to see it, I listened because she wasn't babying me she was giving it to me straight.

I was telling Al about last night, why I stayed up so late. He told me what teacher drilled into our heads when we started studding under her. Izumi, she was proof that I could do this, that my mother was wrong that I can do everything a boy could. But then my mind flashed back to Nina. I started thinking maybe I can't do everything.

"I'm an idiot. I haven't improved a bit since we started Al. I thought I learned from the mistake with mom but I haven't." Wow was I throwing a pity party for myself. I looked at Al and reminded myself on why we should keep moving forwards. I have to get his body back.

"Mr. Edward!" a soldier called running towards us _'God damn what now Mustang'_ "Mr. Edward Elric I've been looking for you everywhere. You need to return to base right away."

"What why. What does that bastard Colonel want now?" I asked him. I was mad that he stopped my pity party

"The truth is that there is a serial killer going around and killing State Alchemist." He said and I was so focused on him I didn't notice the man with a scar walk up behind him until it was to late.

 **Hey guys just me here, please feel free to review I have pretty think skin so hit me with what you got. And don't worry next chapter I'll start branching off from the manga/anime and start revealing Edelle. Until then**


	4. And now they know

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed, there will be no Ed/ Roy romance in this story just parental relationship. Also gender-swapped Winry**

"Edward Elric... The Fullmetal Alchemist!" The man with the scar yelled. My eyes grew wide. The solider grabbed his gun

"The man with the scar on his..."

"Stop!" I yelled the man with the scar on his face grabbed the soldiers face and it looked like his brain exploded from the inside out. I froze to the spot, I couldn't move my legs. I'm going to die here, I heard Al move closer to me. Al. "Al! Run Away!" I pushed him to get him moving.

"Shit what the hell was that? I don't go around making enemies with people! Okay so maybe I do but that doesn't warrant killing me!" I was running through the streets no where specific in mind. I didn't realize that Al was in front of me until he pulled me through into an alleyway. Al transmuted a wall between the two buildings cutting us off from the main road.

"Now that he can't fallow us..." Al started but then the wall exploded and the man with the scar walked through the hole he created. I screamed and started running again Al close in toll. The wall started to break beside me, the rubble fell in front of us cutting us off from the rest of the street. I turned to face the man.

"Why are you going after us? What the hell are you?" I asked I was in fight or flight mode, he walked closer to us and I readied my battle stance.

"If they are creators then they are destroyers." He had a deep threatening voice

"So you're telling us we have no choice" I grabbed a pipe off the wall and transmuted it into a large knife, or a small sword depending on how you look at it. Al and I charged him but we where to slow. The man got Al and the right side of his armour was destroyed.

"Al!" I screamed and charged him once more "You son of a bitch!" The man grabbed my right arm and a light went off, like they do with an alchemic reaction. I would have been a goner if it wasn't for the part of my arm being automail. But the energy exchange sent me flying on my ass I took my jacket and my gloves off. I changed my arm into a blade sticking out past my elbow.

"I'm not nice enough to play by your schedule." I got ready to advance him again.

"Brother don't run away!" Al yelled after me

"You idiot you think I could just run away and leave you behind!?" I charged to man once more leading with my right arm. He grabbed it once more. This time the energy didn't send me flying back but I saw my arm break apart right before my eyes.

"Sister!" Al yelled giving up the façade we were playing.

"I'll give you a moment to pray to God." He said standing over me. If it wasn't enough it started raining again.

"Sorry but there isn't any God I want to pray to, anyway." I took a deep breath. "You're only after me right? My little brother Al are you going to kill him too?" He gave me a monologue to basically tell me no. "Then promise me that you wont touch my little brother."

"Sis..." Al cried trying to get my attention "Sister what are you doing?! Run away!" But I didn't move I just stayed there waiting for my coming death _'sorry Al I couldn't save you'_ "Stop... Stop it! Get up! Run!" That's when I heard a gun shot. Mustang was well within ear shot, he must have heard the whole thing.

"That was a close call Fullmetal." Mustang said walking closer Hawkeye and Havoc where running beside him.

"Colonel! This guy's..."

"Is a murder suspect, he has killed several national alchemist... And there is no doubt that he is also behind the murder at the Tucker residence." I glared at him how dared he kill Nina. "... There are many Alchemist why are you only killing the ones with a national title?" Mustang asked trying to draw the murderers attention away from me.

"If you intend on interfering I will eliminate you as well." the scared man threatened.

"Interesting" He tossed his gun to Hawkeyeand put on his Alchemy gloves.

"Colonel Mustang, the flame Alchemist." He charged Mustang while Mustang charged him back.

"You know who I am and yet you still dare to fight me." Mustang didn't realize the Lieutenant was also running after him. Before the two men met she tripped him at the last second then proceeded to shoot at the scared man. "What are you doing Riza! I had it under control." He said flat on his ass.

"Your worthless when its raining please stay back Colonel." Hawkeye said and she proceeded to attack the man. Mustang crawled his way over to me.

"Ed are you okay?" He lifted my face to see if I was hurt.

"How much of that did you hear?" I asked under my breath.

"Enough for you and me to have a conversation later." He put his hand on my good shoulder in a comforting matter. Then another gunshot went off he pushed me behind him and looked at Hawkeye. "Did you get him?"

"No sir I only grazed him." She reloaded her gun.

"Red eyes and brown skin!" A walking muscle factory said

"An Ishvalan!" Roy looked around to his men they were all ready to take the shot. "You don't think you can get away when you're surrounded do you?" Mustang addressed the Ishvalan man. He was prepared to give the order to shoot when the scared Ishvalan touched the ground. The road caved into the sewer and escaped. "Don't bother fallowing him" Then he went over to the man made of muscles and started to apologise to him. I made my way over to Al who hasn't moved since Mustang showed up.

"Alphonse! Al are you okay?!" He looked like a broken toy that has been thrown out.

"You stupid Brother!" And at that moment my little brother did something I never expected him to. He Punched me. We started arguing and he threw a few more punches. The fight officially ended with him calling me a retard and his arm falling off.

"Look at us Al, we're all beat up. There is no way we suck this badly." I said with a small smile growing on my face. That's when Hawkeye walked up to me and put her jacket on me. I felt like it stopped raining.

"But at least we're alive." Al said trying to give me hope.

"Yeah at least we're alive."


	5. The train ride

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed, there will be no Ed/ Roy romance in this story just parental relationship. Maybe some Ed/Ling. But there will defiantly be Ling Winry friendship. Also gender-swapped Winry.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions.**

I was sitting on a desk in the Colonels office. A man named Maes gave me a new towel it dry me off from the rain, it was defiantly heated and felt amazing. I didn't use it to dry myself off, I used it to cover my automail port because I know automail can make some people uncomfortable. Mustang just finished telling us about the Ishvalan Civil war. Maes stood up

"So what are the Elric brothers going to do now?" He asked at the word brother Mustangs head shot up. _'can't he hide a secret better'_

"Um... I need to fix Al's armour. But I can't do that with only one arm." I told him. Maes seamed nice if is isn't a father he should be he would be great. But he still treated us like children which didn't put him to high on my approval list.

"Shall I fix you young Elric?" The man named Armstrong asked flexing his muscles.

"I'm the only one who knows where Al's soul is bound to his armour so I will need to fix my arm." I restated. "I guess I have no choice, I'll have to go back to my mechanic." I stood up to leave.

"We can't let you go alone." Mustang said quickly. Everyone quickly threw out excuses on why the couldn't go except for Mustang and Armstrong.

"I have heard of your story young Elric and I shall escort you home." Armstrong was trying to crush me in a hug.

"Armstrong I think you should stay here, if Scar shows up you are the only one who can deal with him in this weather." Mustang added. He was playing at something and I could tell that I wasn't going to get out of that talk he promised me earlier. Armstrong agreed with him. I wonder who would be worst the muscle bound freak or the womanising Colonel.

"And What about you Colonel?" Hawkeye asked, shocked by what her Colonel said.

"It shouldn't be raining in the East, so we will be safe." Mustang said casually

"Fine" Hawkeye said "You go I go." She standing up grabbing her coat.

"That settles it then." Mustang stood and put his coat on and walked over to me. "Men I expect your work to be done by the time I get back, and keep m updated on the Scar situation." They nodded. He picked put my red coat and I took off the towel. Mustang helped me put on the coat seeing how I was missing my right arm and everything. "Hawkeye grab the car and go pack a bag, enough clothes for two week. For both of us. Fuery call the train station and reserve three tickets and one cargo piece label it fragile." He said that last bit looking at Al, then Mustang walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" I asked the bastard Colonel

"I'm going to get Hawkeye and myself the next two weeks off." He smiled and walked out the door.

"Unbelievable." I put my hand on my forehead "What did we get ourselves into."

I was standing outside of the train on the loading platform waiting for Mustang and Hawkeye to get back from loading Al into the cargo hold. That was a long argument that I lost in the end. Maes was keeping me "company" but I could tell that he was just watching making sure that I didn't get into any trouble. Mustang and Hawkeye walked up the the two of us. Hawkeye looking over her shoulder every so often, and end large sudden noises went off she would reach for her gun. Hughes was acting in a similar way with me. _'Was the Scar guy really that bad?'_

"Okay that's, that. Al got loaded safely, now let's go find our seats." He grabbed his bag and walked towards the entrance, Hawkeye looked at me telling me with my eyes to pick up my bag. I picked it up and smiled goodbye to Hughes. Hawkeye followed behind me making sure I got on the train. ' _This was going to be a fun trip I can tell.'_ I thought sarcastically. Mustang was sitting in the cab of the train cart talking through Hughes through the window.

"Take care Hughes" Mustang said and closed the window. He saw that the two of us were in and Hawkeye was putting our luggage into the overhead. "Shut the door." I turned around and did so, ' _great we are having that talk now'_ I sat done and looked at the floor _'At least they were taking me home before they kicked me out of the army'_

"How long did you think it would take for us to notice." he yelled at me with a stern voice.

"Sir?"

"Oh right you don't know, Fullmetal is a girl." Roy just spat out

"What? How?" Hawkeye questioned Mustang held a hand up

"How about we start with the basics. What's your real name I'm guessing your real name isn't Edward."Mustang said a little less harsh.

"It's Edelle, that's they were calling me Ed. I didn't pick the first boy name that came to mind." I tried to defend myself

"It's my fault"Mustang said. That got me to look up. " I heard them call you Ed and I was looking for your father. I didn't bother looking into his family. I just assumed you were a boy." He stumbled over his excuse.

"That explains some of it, but why? I was there too, you saw that there were female military personal." Hawkeye was speaking calm like you would to a caged animal.

"I don't know maybe because it was something my mother said to me when I was growing up. She said alchemy was something that boys did and it wasn't meant for girls to do. I mean I met Izumi and she said that I could do alchemy just as good as any boy could, but still..." I ran my hands though my hair. "How many female State Alchemist are there?" I asked Roy. He straightened and clenched his jaw

"None"

"Exactly so I thought that maybe it was because of what my mother said."

"Anyone else who knows about you" Hawkeye asked

"You two, Al Pinako and Winston, Hohenheim, and Nina did." they both nodded "What's going to happen to me?" I asked

"Nothing if I can help it." Roy said "You are staying in the military, we'll keep your secret, and you'll still look for the philosopher stone."

"Really?" I asked "You'll let me stay even if I lied to the military?"

"We all have secrets Ed. I'm going to become the fuhrer one day." Roy stated

"That's treason even thinking about it why are you telling me this?" I asked him

"Because now you have something on me to make you feel safe, if I tell, you tell."

"Blackmail." I stated

"Or extreme trust." He said with a smile. The three of us were quiet for a while before Roy said out of nowhere. "That explains why you're so short!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A RUNT SO TINY HE COULD ONLY BE SEEN WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS, YOU JERK!" I screamed at him. They started laughing "What do you find so funny! Is the pint sized pipsqueak making you laugh?!" I yelled but not as loud.

"That proves it you're still you." Roy while laughing

"I've only ever been me." I responded. The train ride seam to blur after that point. Resembool here we come.

 **Okay I know Roy seamed a little OC at the end of this chapter but I mean come on what would you do if someone you knew was pretending to be the opposite gender.**

 **Any like I said feel free to comment or suggest anything. I promise Winry will come so I keep thinking it will be in this paragraph then all of a sudden a thousand words pops up. Oh question guys and PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS : Do you want Barry the Copper to have kidnap Ed like he did with Winry or should I just stick with the manga/brother for Barry. Let me know please.**


	6. The Rules

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed, there will be no Ed/ Roy romance in this story just parental relationship. Also gender-swapped Winry.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions.**

I was fast asleep when I felt the train lurch forward.

"Are we here, I'm awake." I said still half asleep, I went to rub the sleep from my eyes, when only my left hand touched my face I clicked in to what was going on.

"Relax Fullmetal we aren't there yet, the train is making another stop." Roy didn't even look up from his paper work. He had his leg crossed over the other one, doing the work on his propped up leg. He wasn't wearing his jacket which is odd because he was never out of uniform. I shifted in my seat to get more comfortable, when a blue jacket slid down on to my lap. It was his. "You were sleeping" He defending himself

"You're treating me differently" I stated

"What you were sleeping I put my jacket on you..."

"I have a jacket" I tugged on my red one.

"I can't win!"He threw his hands up in the air frustrated with the situation. "What do you want me to do?" He asked

"Don't treat me differently." I threw his jacket back at him he caught it and threw it beside him.

"We need to set up ground rules." He stated rubbing his face, and stretching his arms.

"Okay, how about outside of work we treat each others as equals, in work we pretend that I'm still a boy and we don't tell anyone." Mustang tried to interrupt me and I glared at him "And finally, you don't hold back because I'm a girl. If something is to dangerous, don't hold back because you think I'm fragile, I'm plenty tough." Roy nodded

"And you need to trust me more. I know I might act different around you right now but there are two reasons why. One you're hurt, and I don't care how much you say you aren't your arm is missing. Two I just found out, it's a lot to deal with."

"I've had worse." I muttered under my breath

"I know." He picked the files up, sometime during the argument they must have been thrown down. He started working on them again.

"Why are you doing that now shouldn't you be on watch for Scar or something?" I asked trying to end the silence that had filled the room.

"Hawkeye is watching us, And if I get this done now I don't have to do it later and maybe I can relax on this trip." He said still writing.

"That's great and everything, but Hawkeye isn't here." That got his attention his head shot up and started looking around the cab like she was in his blind spot or something. He opened up the window and looked out it.

"Found her. She's talking to someone." Mustang said he pulled his head back into the train cart. I looked out to see Hawkeye walking towards the entry to the train.

"Gezz Colonel you looked almost worried there." I prodded him with my boot

"Why would the Colonel be worried" Hawkeye asked as she entered the compartment.

"I was wondering about whether or not somebody dropped Al off at the wrong stop." Roy covered. I shot up in my seat that got me worried. How long has Al been back there, if he was still there.

"Well don't worry that's where I just came from, He'd fine Edelle." She sat down "Mustang I thought you were working." Mustangs turn to freak out a bit. She looked sternly at him.

"I'm taking a break. I've been at this for already six hours non-stop."

"Six hours! I took a six hour nap and you let me?" I yelled at them

"And just think only six more hours to go" The bastard Colonel said trying to lighten the mood.

"You had a though day yesterday, no one blames you for going to sleep." She leaned into the seat more and put her feet up. "Sir you're on guard." He nodded and pulled out his gloves and slipped one on. "Oh that's right Ed I have something for you." She pulled out a paper from her jacket. "I ran into one of our old army buddies and told him you're story. And he gave me this and told me to tell you that _'You will uncover the truth behind the truth'_."

"Who did you run into?" Mustang asked as she tried to drift off

"Tim Marcoh." Mustang stood and started to head towards the door of the cabin when the train started again. The sudden movement caused him to fall onto my side of the cabin in the seat next to me. The Lieutenant took up his empty space and fell into a deeper sleep. He only scoffed at her and picked up his jacket and laid it on her shoulders.

"See you're not the only one getting special attention." He smirked at me, then turn to face the door. With his back to me I opened note and studied it, then put it into my pocket. "Fullmetal you do know I am twice your age right? Nothing is ever going to happen between us." He stated. I knew that but hearing him say that gave me a bit more comfort.

By the time we got to Resembool it was early in the morning I was leading Mustang and Hawkeye on the road to the Rockbells. The were dragging Al behind them in a cart and explained to him what was happening now that they knew I was a girl. I could hear Den barking before I could see the house. The dog ran up to us and started trying to play with me. When I got to the house Granny was already outside waiting for us.

"We could use your help again Granny." I walked up to her and gave her a one armed hug not that I had much of a choice. "You remember Colonel Mustang and 1st Lieutenant Hawkeye right." I said gesturing to my body guards, and they waved.

"Nice to see you again." She snipped at them, I guess she wasn't over the last time they saw each other and Roy abducted me into the military basically. She looked me up and down a couple of times. "Ed you've gotten shorter." _'Oh so now the short jokes start eh?'_ We started yelling back and forth calling each other every short nickname we could think of. When it happened.

"Hey Ed!" Winston called I turned to look to see a wrench flying towards my head. It was to late to dodge it so I let it hit me. Man has he been working on his throwing arm cause that knocked me flat on my ass. "I told you to call before you show up here for a maintenance check!?" He yelled at me from his balcony

"Winston you jack ass are you trying to kill me?!" I yelled back, two can play at that game.

"Welcome home guys." He smiled at us.

We got settled into the house before Winston came downstairs Pinako even had time to make tea before he saw that my arm wasn't there.

"What the hell did you do to my automail Ed! This is a little more then busted up." He looked at Al "And what the hell happened to Al half of him is gone!"

"We got a little smashed up, its nothing new." I said in my defence. Mustang and Hawkeye were watching from the side lines at the two of us fighting, they were probably wondering on how they could have ever thought I was a boy. Winston has a tough build for a guy, I mean he still on the lean side but he has muscles and callous where other boys don't. Were I have a tiny frame and a even with my built up muscle I still didn't compare with him. We both had long hair but on him it looks mainly, I would've keep my hair short but I need my bangs to hide my girly face.

"Ed you haven't answered me yet." _'shit he was still talking'_

"Um I need to be in Central as soon as possible so can we just get to the point?" I asked trying to dodge his question

"Okay you know the drill, do you want to be in your underwear or in more comfortable clothing?" Pinako asked looking at the Colonel and his Lieutenant

"Comfy clothes. Do you still have some of my old stuff here?" I asked standing up

"Everything you left behind is in the closet of the guest room." Pinako said as she started getting her gear ready. I went up the stairs to the guest room past the family pictures, I didn't even hear the person behind me. I got into the room and laid out what I planed on wearing. I started to undress myself when someone cleared their throat. _'please not Mustang, please not Mustang.'_ I thought to myself, even though nothing will ever happen between us, I still don't want help undressing from the bastard Colonel.

"Do you want help?" Hawkeye asked. _'thank god'_ "I broke my arm once as a kid, you never know how hard getting dressed is until you've tired it with one arm." She was right

"Um sure." I responded she walked over and started undoing buttons.

"Not used to getting helped are you." She asked facing away from me as we were working on getting the pants off.

"Not used to needing it." I replied. I took off the shirt by myself then started unwinding the binding to free my chest. I slipped the other tank top on and faced the Lieutenant

"So do you always wear that or..." She asked the question that really sounded uncomfortable for her to ask, she was a professional woman, and asking other women about underwear just wasn't done.

"No not it I could help it. It really cuts down on your breathing." I half joked. She nodded and walked towards the door.

"I'll be downstairs if you need anything else." She said before she took off. I smiled in the empty room. _'Both of them were handling this great.'_ I wondered how the others would react to it and if the would still help me. But then I realized that at least two people accept it and me, maybe the others will too.

 **Please comment, see you next time.**


	7. All Fixed Up

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed, there will be no Ed/ Roy romance in this story just parental relationship. Also gender-swapped Winry.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions.**

 **I'm going to try something new this chapter hope you guys like it.**

I walked down the stairs ready to show them the extent of the damage I caused. I wondered if there was something wrong with my foot too because I felt a little lopsided. I sat on the work bench they had and Winston went straight for my arm port.

"Well at least the port is all right we don't need to redo that." Winston changed into his work clothes, he was now wearing a jump suit that was tied around the waist and an black tank top, his hair was also pulled back with a bandanna. I felt Granny pick up both of my legs and put them on a foot stool.

"It's not just the arm we are going to have to adjust." Granny said and Winston and I looked down in her direction.

"Well what do you know pipsqueak you have grown." Winston joked. I could only think of how much time that was going to take doing the math in my mind I came up with a weeks time.

"So it will take about a week right?" I asked out loud. Granny scoffed at the idea

"Give us some credit Edelle." She took a smoke from her pipe. "We can do it in three days." She measured my right leg from just above my knee to my foot. "You are going to have to deal with a spare leg for three days think you can handle that?" She asked as she was unhooking my leg and then she shoved the spare into place. I was trying to get used to the spare leg. I was taking small steps to get the feel of it when I over heard Winston.

"This is going to take me all night."

"Sorry."

"Don't be you need to be in Central right away, and besides to make up for it you'll pay me oodles in cash right away." He said as he hit me on my back in a playful manner to bad he made me shift on my temporary leg. I went down pretty hard. "Crap sorry Ed forgot you're not used to the spare leg yet.

I went outside to sit besides Al who was being kept company by Den.

"Three days." I said as I threw myself down "What the hell am I supposed to do for three days!"

"You can go visit mom." Al suggested that got my attention. "You make it sound like as soon as you get fixed up we're leaving. At least one of us should go see mom."

"Yeah maybe I'll go for a bit."

* **point of view change, it's now Roy***

I chopped another block of firewood

"How much longer do I have to do this?" I called into the house

"Is the bin full yet?" Pinako asked from inside, her and Hawkeye were working on other things while I got the manual labour job.

"It's full!" I cheered.

"Then you can stop" She responded. I smiled and wiped the sweat from my brow. Some relaxing break this turned out to be. I walked back into the house. Riza saw me and slid a stack of folders towards me.

"Can I have at least five minutes?" She glared at me and I took the papers glad that my subordinates didn't see that. "Hey Hawkeye where's Ed?" I asked I couldn't hear her complaining so she must have been sleeping somewhere.

"She went to go visit her mothers grave." Pinako responded

"And you let her go alone?" I stood up I was about to run out of the house when Pinako scolded me.

"She's fine, she knows this place like the back of her hand and she has the best bodyguard around Den." Huh so that's where the dog went. "We don't hear much about what's going on. Ed and Al don't write or call often but everyone has heard about them."

"Yes that's mainly my fault I would assume, I send Ed out on missions and she has this thing about getting into trouble. But their strong the two of them. Stronger then most men I know."

"Strong eh?" She chuckled "I remember that night four years ago when they showed up on my doorstep after Ed gave up her arm to transmute her brothers soul into that suit of armour. I remember when she said she would sign up for the military and I remember her going through the automail surgery that would make most adults scream. Who would have thought that so much strength could come from someone that small." I looked to the wall with pictures of the two families on it. I remembered my reason for coming out here a couple of years ago.

"Still no news from Hohenheim?" I asked

"Nope that dead beat still hasn't shown up yet."

 **Back to Ed**

Like they said three days later the part were ready. I was back on that same work bench in shorts and a tube top.

"On three."

"One."

"Two."

"Three." They said together as they reconnected the nerves. I couldn't wait to get my real body back so I wouldn't have to deal with it any more.

"Okay try moving your arm." Winston said as I lifted my arm and pushed myself off the bench. "Great how does it feel?"

"I feel good" I walked up to the wall and started stretching my leg out.

"Okay so I made some adjustments because you never do maintenance on it so... Ed get back here!" He yelled as I ran outside to Alphonse.

"I'm so sorry to keep you waiting." I started grabbing the pieces of armour and bringing them near him "Is that all?"

"Yep the military police gathered them all up for me."

"Okay lets fix you up." I clapped my hands and touched his chest plate. He was fixed and good as new. I quickly braided my hair and looked at him. "Let's do this."

"Do you want to go over the rules?" Al questioned.

"Fine, no kicking below the belt Al!" I said as I kicked his shin it set him off balance but he was still able to throw me over his shoulder.

"No hair pulling Ed!" he said at the same time. The sparing went uninterrupted for a while then Mustang and Hawkeye came out.

"Why are you two fighting?!" Mustang yelled at us.

"We we aren't fighting, I'm testing out my new limbs." I said while blocking a punch from Al

"And I wasn't able to move my body for a while so I have to restore it's feeling." Al said trying to swipe my leg out from underneath me.

"Oh okay." Mustang said, apparently that was good enough for him. We fought for a bit longer before Al tried something dirty.

"Al I said no below the belt." As I blocked his foot.

"Sorry Sister but you're so small that everything might as well be below the belt." He teased. He was trying to get me mad and it was working.

"If you're opponent has a temper seek to irritate and never listen to an enemy's taunts." Mustang called out to us _'great is this a lesson now?'_ I thought to myself.

"Stop going for the cheep shots Ed."

"A soldier favours haste over cleverness, meaning they are no cheap shots, strike quickly and you'll end it quickly too." Mustang yelled, _'yes now he's on my side.'_ I smiled Al left a spot opened and I went for it, unfortunately he knew I was going to do that and threw me down.

"Make you're opponent think you have a weakness and when they go for it it becomes theirs." Mustang smirked as he said that last one

"Sister are you done now?" Al questioned still in his battle stance.

"Yup, I still haven't beaten you yet." Al bent over to help me up. "Granny we're starving!" I called as I ran towards the house.

 **Hope you guys like it sorry for the gap between posts.**

 **See you next time.**


	8. Central Here We Come

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed, there will be no Ed/ Roy romance in this story just parental relationship. Also gender-swapped Winry.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions.**

"First thing tomorrow morning we are going to get on a train and head back to HQ to drop these two off, then Al and I are going to go to central." I said between bites of my dinner.

"Oh really this place will be quite again?" Granny joked

"Then Al and I are going to fix our bodies and we wont need Granny or Winston to fix us up again." I continued

"Yeah right kid, you're are cash cow why bother fix your body."Granny said.

"Besides jerkface you can't do anything without your mechanics." Winston stated.

"Who are you calling jerkface machine freak!" The others started laughing at that point and I decided to back to my meal.

 **/Al POV**

Sister fell asleep on the couch with stomach exposed again, I've tried to get her to stop that because people might find out that she is a she. I just sighed and pulled a blanket on her. Pinako laughed at what I said.

"You sound like you're her guardian and not the other way around."

"It's really hard to tell which one of you is older sometimes." Winston added.

"It's a pain sometimes having a high maintenance sister, but I love her anyway"

"How old are you two again?" Pinako said while taking a smoke from her pipe.

"I'm 14 and sister is 15."

"It's funny to think that this "Human weapon" despite being a pipsqueak is the same age as me." Winston laughed. He was sitting on the couch besides Ed.

"And she's sleeping like a baby on top of that." I said making a joke and she rolled over to face the back of the couch. I decided to fill Granny and Winston in on what we have been doing for the last little while, well the less dangerous ones anyway.

/ **Ed POV**

I woke up early that morning and got dressed as soon as possible, the sooner I got on the road the sooner I could restore Al's body. I went outside to wait for the others who were coming with us to HQ.

"Thanks for taking care of us Granny." I said to her. Al was playing with Den and Hawkeye and Mustang were checking to see if they had everything that the needed.

"Right." She nodded. One thing that I liked about Granny is that was a lot like me, we didn't need the sappy goodbyes we just left most of the time.

"Where's Winston?" Al questioned walking over to us.

"He's still asleep since he stayed up all night , want me to wake him?" The mechanic questioned

"Nah, it's okay, he'll probably just lecture me about taking care of my automail properly or something like that if he got up and came to say goodbye." I said and started to walk towards the road

"See ya." I said my back to her.

"Bye Granny." Al said and turned to follow me.

"You two come back once and a while and eat some breakfast you hear?" Was how she said her goodbye to us this time.

"Sure we'll stop in sometime." Al promised

"Who'd drop by this far into the mountains just to eat?" I questioned her.

"It must be nice to have a family to welcome you, and a place to return to." Hawkeye said almost to herself.

"Really? We're more of the wandering types that go from journey to journey." I told her my way of saying that I don't like the memories that come from being here. But it was nice seeing Winston and Granny again. Mostly I thought of this place as the burnt down home that we left behind.

"Ed! Al!" I heard Winston call from his balcony, the same balcony three days earlier he threw a wrench at me from. I turned quickly checking to see if another wrench was coming my way. "See you later." He called on last time still half asleep. I turned around and keep walking.

"Yeah." I waved goodbye with my back facing him.

/

 **Winston POV**

"Morning Granny." I said as I walked down the stairs.

"Morning? You've been asleep all day."

"Have I?" I questioned rubbing sleep out of my eyes.

"Yes, now clean up the work bench." She said as she started to put away laundry in the cupboard. I walked over to the cluttered work bench

"Oh yeah I left that stuff out after fixing Ed's arm." I started picking the tools back up and putting them back into my toolbox. That's when I noticed it. A small part that belonged in Ed's arm. "Crap" I whispered to myself.

/ **Ed POV**

After we got back to HQ we dropped off Mustang and Hawkeye and so happened to catch the same train to Central that Major Armstrong had. The Colonel and the Lieutenant were seeing us off.

"What a coincident that Armstrong has the same cabin as us" I told the Colonel

"Yeah that's weird right? Mustang said.

"Stop with the lies I know you did this."

"Okay but Scar is still out there and I'm not letting you go unprotected."

"What did I say about not treating me special?" I questioned under my breath so only Mustang could hear.

"Like I said Scar is still out there and you don't know Central half as good as you know Resembool." He whispered back. The train started up. "Well have fun in Central Edward. Armstrong so your best to keep yourself alive I hate filling out extra paper work." Mustang called over the sound of the train.

"Like it's that easy to get rid of me!" I retorted. This was going to be a long train ride.

(A few hours later.)

After a while he kind of grow on you, like a fungus. But still he was like a big lovable baby. He also treated Al nicely so that was okay in my books too. I still couldn't wait to get to the Central Library. ' _Soon I'll learn how to create a stone so I won't have to keep searching for it.'_ I stepped off the train with a huge smile on my face.

"We're here Central!" I started to run for the exit "Hurry up Al."

"Brother we don't have to hurry up that much, libraries can't run away." He said while running with me.

"Just hurry up okay?" We were right at the exit when Armstrong grabbed the back of my jacket to stop me from running. There were two soldiers greeting the major. The man looked to Al, I knew what was going to happen but please no.

"Are you the Fullmetal Alchemist?" He asked Al. It was a good thing that Armstrong was still holding me back or else that man would have been dead meat.

"Hi I'm Maria Ross it's an honour to meet you!" The woman said the man continued with

"I'm Denny Brosh, your outfit matches your name how impressive."

"I'm not the Fullmetal Alchemist he's over there." Al corrected while pointing at me.

"The small guy?" Brosh asked. _'That does it he's dead meat'_. I went to charge him again but Armstrong was still holding me back. The two of them stumbled over an apology while Armstrong waited for me to cool down.

"Now I shall go report to Central HQ." He said in that deep voice of his.

"Oh? What was that? Is this where we part? Good job. I'm so sad! Byebye!" I waved him off. He gripped me in a bone crunching hug.

"I am sad as well! It was truly a fun journey! May we meet each other again." He let me go and I started to pass out from lack of oxygen. "Take care of the rest." He told the other two soldiers ' _What?'_

"Yes sir" They responded with a salute.

"what? I still have escorts?"

"Of course!" _'Damn that Scar why couldn't he just show up and get arrested already.'_

"While we may not be as capable as the major, we have confidence in our abilities." Ross said.

"I guess we can't do anything about that." I moaned

"Brother you're supposed to say thank you." Al scolded me.

"Brother? This armoured man is your brother?" They asked. _'This is going to be a long trip.'_ I thought as I smacked my face with my palm.

 **Please feel free to respond and comment. So how are you guys liking the pov switches? More Hughes and Winston on the way and maybe Hughes won't die... Anyway See You Next Time.**


	9. Living Humans

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions.**

We were sitting in the car with the two escorts Brosh and Ross. The four of us were sitting in the back of a very roomy military car. Brosh asked a question

"Why do you wear that suit of armour if you're not the Fullmetal Alchemist?"

Al and I looked at each other _'Crap!'_ I screamed in my head.

"It's a hobby." I said quickly. They started whispering to each other and I looked out the window hopefully they believe us. I saw it the biggest library I have ever seen. "I can see it I can see it!" I cheered jumping up and down in my seat. The two of them got out of the car and started telling us about the library. I saw the burnt shell of the first branch.

"Just a few days ago, all the books inside were burned in a mysterious fire." Ross finished. I ran over to the main building and went to the receptionist desk.

"Do you have any books on Tim Marcoh?" I half asked half yelled.

"Tim Marcoh? She started flipping through the records. "There's nothing in the catalogue, meaning it either was never there to begin with or in burnt down in the fire." She responded I dropped to my knees in defeat. "Hey are you all right?" she questioned Al grabbed me and pulled me into a standing position.

"Thank you for helping us." Al said. He tried to get me walking again.

"What about Seska? She might know she was working in the first branch before." A man said behind the desk piling books up and taking them away.

"If you check Seska's house you'll be able to find out quickly." The receptionist said. "She is kind of a book worm."

' _Okay a lead that's great we don't need to start from scratch.'_

It wasn't a long ride to her house but when we knocked on the door nobody responded.

"The lights are on she has to be home." I said. I clapped my hands together to unlock the lock, the I pulled the door open. I wasn't expecting to find the room filled with books. "What the hell somebody lives here?" We walked through the lanes made between the pile of books.

"Ms Seska!" Lieutenant Ross called out. "Are you here?"

"I can't believe anyone could live in this." Brosh said.

"Shh!" Al shushed us. We all listened in the quiet room, when all of a sudden a little peep came out from under the books. "Brother there's a person under there. We started to dig through the books trying to find the person under there. The person we found introduced herself as Seska and told us about herself.

"Okay do you remember reading reasearch files written by Tim Marcoh?" I asked as serious as I could be.

"Yes I remember they were handwritten." She stated,

"They really were at the first branch." I hung my head low "That means they were completely burned. We have to start from scratch again." I said.

"Thank you for your time." Al said as we walked to the door.

"Did you want to read those papers?" Seska asked

"Yes, but there's no way we can." I stated

"I remember all of it that was written down." She told us "Remember everything after reading it once word for word without a single mistake, it would take sometime but I could make a copy for you."

"Thank you Ms Bookworm." I grabbed her hand and shook it up and down so many times. I was over the moon.

Five days later.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to recopy but there were so many." Seska showed us a pile of papers on a desk "The complete works of a Mr Tim Marcoh." She gestured to the desk.

"She really did it" Al said in shock

"There are incredible people in the world aren't there Al." I was in shock myself.

"Wow it all makes sense now. If there was this much there was no way that Mr. Marcoh could have run off with them." Al said as he walked closer to the table.

"This is really Mr. Marcoh." I was smiling uncontrollably

"Yes without a doubt Tim Marcoh's culinary research documents. "1000 flavours for today's menu."" Seska said

"Huh?" Everyone asked _'No we were so close'_ I thought _'So we do have to start from scratch again.'_

"Add a dash of water to 1 table spoon of sugar..." Ross read out loud "This really is '1000 flavours for today's menu."

"Hey You! Just how are these documents important!" Brosh yelled at her

"Impor.. Oh no I only copied them as I read them." I told us with fear in her voice.

"So this is something completely different written by someone with the same name? What a waist of time." Brosh continued. I was flipping through the papers, I couldn't just help and think how awful these recipes would be if someone actually make them. Then it clicked in, ' _they are coded.'_

"Ms Seska are you sure this is what Mr. Marcoh wrote? Word for word?" I asked

"Yes I'm positive." She said desperate to prove to us that she had the right documents.

" You're incredible thanks." I started grabbing as many documents as I could. "Okay lets get these back to central library."

"Yes there should be plenty of dictionaries there." Al said grabbing a huge pile for himself.

"And for helping us." I grabbed my check book out of my coat and started righting out a large enough number to get her mother the help that she needed. "Second Lieutenant Ross! Here's my registration code, my signature and my silver pocket watch as proof of my identity." I gave her the everything I just said. "Go to the national Alchemist division at the president's office, withdraw from my annual research funds the sum of that I wrote and give it to Seska." I waited for her response

"Yes sir." Ross responded I smirked at the sir bit

"Seska thanks a lot Bye." I closed the door behind me "Okay Al let's go... What are you still doing here Brosh?!" I finished with a yell

"I am your escort, so where you go I go." He responded

"Damn you sound like Hawkeye. I'm not the Colonel I don't need a babysitter." I told him

"Orders from the Major sir." Brosh stated. I felt pity for him because he had to listen to the major.

"Okay fine but don't get in our way."

I was a short drive to the library and once we got set up I filled Brosh in on what was going on.

"So it's coded in and the only person that knows the code is the one that wrote it. Then how are you going to crack it?" He asked

"With a little knowledge and a lot of patience." I looked at the paper, _'A lot of patience.'_ I couldn't help to think. Al explained to him how most Alchemist follow a basic pattern when writing their codes.

"...Brother's are written like travelogues, even I couldn't understand them." I smiled at that

"Come on Al lets decode this and take a look at the truth."

After a few weeks I was ready to throw in the towel.

"It's just to damn hard to crack." My forehead was on the desk so it came out muffled and incomprehensible.

"Couldn't we just ask Mr. Marcoh?" Al asked

"No way! He would tell us that we didn't deserve to know if we couldn't break the code." I went back to work "We have to do it by ourselves."

"Excuse me..." I heard a mouse like voice ask.

"Seska!" I called. She came to thank us about the money we gave her and tried to give some of it back. But I told her compared to what the data is worth we should give her more.

"So have you finished decoding it?" She asked. I made a very reassuring face that told her no.

"Any luck on the job hunt?" I asked back. She made the same face. It was good to know both of us were striking out. She thanked us again and Al responded to her. I was to determined to crack the code.

"Yo!" I heard A man cheer. _'What know!'_ I mentally yelled.

"Lt. Colonel Hughes!" I recognised him as the ma who saw me off at the train station. _'Maybe I was trading babysitters.'_ I mused.

"I told you guys to holler if you popped by Central." He playfully scolded us.

"Oh we were sort of busy." I said gesturing to the papers.

"Yeah I was busy too couldn't get away from work." He started scratching the back of his head. "Latley there has been a lot of crimes in Central. And the deal with the case of Mr. Tucker still hasn't been finished yet." He let slip I looked away and broke the pen that I was holding in my right hand.

"Sorry brought back some unpleasant memories." He apologised.

"Did you just come here to visit us even though you're busy?" Al asked

"Nah, I needed a break don't worry about it." He sat down across from us. "Damn the first branch has to burn at a time when it's usually busy. I would usually store old records there in the book collection but now.." He trailed of and let his hand fall on his desk. With that motion I realized that he liked talking with his hands. _'Wait first branch, book collection.._ ' I thought in my head. Al and I must have been thinking the same thing because we both looked at Seska. We explained to Hughes about her memory skills.

"I did read the military detective records to but..." She trailed off

"You're hired!" He cheered he grabbed he and started dragging her out of the door. "Don't worry we pay very well." he continued She called out to us thanking us as she was dragged out of the room.

"Come on little brother back to work." I said as I picked up a new pen.

More days passed when everything fell into place.

"No fucking way." I screamed.

"What happened were you to fighting." Brosh asked and he and Ross came into the room.

"No it's not that." Al responded. I was working on trying to calm myself down.

"Are yo angry because you haven't broken the code?" Ross tried

"We broke it the code, has been broken." AL told them surprisingly calm

"Really isn't that a good thing?" Brosh asked

"Is there anything good about this shit!" I yelled slamming myself to the floor. " "The devils research" is what people call it." I snarled. The two soldiers approached me carefully. "The raw materials needed for the philosopher stone are living humans!" I screamed.

 **Roughly a cliff hanger, sorry if you find if it is. See you next time and sorry about the wait between post. And Remember feel free to comment. The death of Hughes is approaching...or is it? See you next time**


	10. 5th Laboratory

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions.**

"I probably would have been happier if I never learnt about this. If what it says in the documents is true then the raw materials used to create the philosopher's stone are living humans. Ad it will take multiple sacrifices to manufacture just one." My voice was shaking. I was trying to contain my rage and my disgust.

I can't believe that something so inhuman was done by an organization under the military." Brosh exclaimed

"This is unforgivable." Ross added

"2nd Lieutenant Ross, Sergeant Brosh... Can you please not tell anybody about this?" I asked begging them to keep this a secret.

"But..."

"Please. Please act like you never heard this." I tried one last time

"Okay we will." Ross said. The two soldiers ushered us to the door. "We have to leave the library is closed." I stood up and walked to the door my head still hung low. ' _What a great to to throw a pity party for myself.'_

The car ride was silent. I was living in my head going over the disappointment, even if we found a stone we could never use it. I am not willing to sacrifice someone else life for my own. When we finally got to the hotel that we were staying I went to my room and threw myself down on the couch. I'm not sure if it was days or hours that passed when Al talked again.

"Sister, go eat breakfast." He told me sitting behind the couch.

"I don't want anything." I wasn't lying I was so depressed that the thought of putting food in my body made me sick. We sat in silence for a while. "I'm tired of this, just when I start thinking it's within my reach, it runs away from me." I reached to the fan with my automail arm. "It keeps going on like that. And this time when I feel like I finally got a hold on it, I'm knocked down by what I caught." I chuckled "Looks like God really hates those men that broke his rules." I covered my head with my arm. "Are we going to live like this for the rest of our lives?" I questioned There was no noise except for the ceiling fan. _'Is now a good time to ask, since I might never fix his body.'_ "Hey Al" I swallowed _'just ask him._ "There's something I always wanted to tell you, but... It was something I was too scared to say." I started

"What is it?" Al asked. I opened my mouth to ask him but I heard a noise outside that cut me off. It was Armstrong.

"Ignore him, the door's locked he'll go away." I whispered to Al. That's when I heard the door break.

"I have come Edward Elric." He said. Sparkles we swarming him. I screamed out of pure shock. "What a tragedy! To think that the philosopher's stone would hide that horrible secret." tears were leaking down his eyes. Wait how did he know. I looked at Brosh and Ross. I gave them my best I'm going to kill you look. The apologised begging for forgiveness. I fixed my tank top readjusting the straps to make sure they couldn't see the bonding around my chest.

"Oh, your arm is artificial?" Brosh asked. I had to fight ever urge I had to put my coat back on. Winston might have done a great job of fixing it but people asking about it or looking at it made me feel uncomfortable.

"It was during the East Area Civil, there was a little..." I started to explain using our old excuse that Mustang made up for us.

"Which is why we want the philosophers stone, to restore his body." Al cut me off, Armstrong did a good job of hiding the the truth _'at least someone in this room can keep a secret.'_

"Oh I see. It's too bad it had to turn out this way. Sometimes the truth can be cruel." Brosh sympathised. _'What did he know about the truth?'_ I thought. _'Wait the truth.'_

"The truth behind the truth." I echoed Hawkeye's words "I get it... There's still something else...Something." Armstrong pulled out a map of the city.

"There are currently 4 locations within Central that are Alchemic institutions that work for the military." He started pointing to the locations. "Among those four is he one that Dr. Marcoh worked for. The 3rd research institute."

"This one is the most suspicious." Ross said continuing Armstrong's train of thought. I shook my head

"I passed through all of the labs when I got my national license. They didn't look like they were up to anything important though." I was studying the map when something caught my eye. "What's that?" I pointed "What's that building?"

"That used to be the fifth laboratory. They shut it down because it's not structurally sound." Ross said reading off the legend of the map.

"It's this one."

"How did you come to that conclusion?" Brosh asked.

"There is a prison next to it. They could've used the prisoners on death row as the raw materials for the stone." I told them "And it's the only laboratory close enough to the prison."

"The inmates are the raw materials." Ross shivered she looked sick.

"Don't give me that look, just explaining it is making me sick."

"Wait whose to say that the government had involvement in this." Brosh said out loud.

"Some how I feel that we stumbled on something to big." Ross said. The two of them looked nervous.

"That's why I told you to pretend that you didn't hear anything." Al reminded them

"This is just a speculation we have no proof the government is involved in this." Armstrong pointed out.

"Yeah." I said trying to reassure them.

"Who is in charge of this research organization?" Al stood up while my little brother willing to take charge and find the answers.

"Brigadier General Basque Gran." Armstrong answered.

"Then we find this Basque Gran and talk to him." I said my plan aloud

" You can not. He was murdered by scar the other day." Armstrong reported. "Many high up military Alchemist have been murdered by him." His voice turned serious. "I will probe into this matter and inform you later." He started picking the maps. "You two will remain quiet on this matter." He said looking to Brosh and Ross. "And you two will stay put." I agreed to anything he said trying to calm the giant.

"We wont do anything dangerous until you report back." Al and I said together.

"Like hell we will." I whispered while Al and I sneaked around to the laboratory. _'An abandon factory with a guard posted at the entrance. How suspicious.'_ I thought now how do we get in. I looked up. "Okay Al hoist me up." He threw me up on top of the wall and I tried to land on it with my left leg. "Hate to admit it but it's times like these that I don't mind having automail limbs." I said I started feeding the barbedwire down to him.

"I feel the same way." Al replied as he climbed the wire. We walked around to the entrance but it was sealed shut. I saw a small air vent I stood on Al's shoulders

"Looks like this continues all the way to the back." I told him. I threw down the screen. "Al wait here and cover me."

"You don't want me to come and help you?" he asked

"I do but your body's to big to fit in here, I should be okay though little brother." I told him as I pulled myself in. After a few minutes of dragging myself along I said to myself. "It's more cramped in here then I thought a normal sized person wouldn't be able to fit in here. I'm glad my body is small." Then I realized what I just said. I started hitting my head against the vent "Damn how dare I call myself small." I keep pulling myself along the vent until I found and opening. "Here I go." I said as I dropped myself down into the room. The building looked like it was abandon, there were small floor lights giving off enough light for me to see. "What do you mean currently not in use?" I asked out loud when I walked past an open room with a transmutation circle on the floor. I walked into the room. "I this what is used to transmute a philosopher's stone?"

"Correct." I hollow voice said. A suit of armour walked into the room. "I don't know what a kid like you came from, but you seem like you want to learn more about the stone. I am one of those that were left with the task of guarding this place. For now call me number 48." He pulled out a katana. " I am ordered to remove all outsiders that enter. Don't think badly of me kid." For someone about to kill me he sounded very polite. I pulled off my right glove and said

"Ditto" I clapped my hand and a blade came sprouting out of it. "Don't feel bad about losing to a kid." I told the guard.

"So that's Alchemy?" He swung at me and I jumped away. "Show me what you got." He was fast most of my moves barely blocked his. He kept hitting at my arm higher and higher. "A steel limb up to your shoulder eh, that just saved your life." He swung again "My blade can strike through steel!" He revealed

"Don't joke around Winston is going to kill me if this gets broken again." The fight continued with me blocking his every move until I got an opening. I kicked his chest to give us a bit of room even I heard a hollow echo.

"That sounded hollow, you can't possibly be hollow on the inside."

"I'm surprised you found out quickly." He held his sword behind his head.

"I spar a lot with guys like you. I could tell by how that just felt." I told him

"So there is someone else like me on the surface."  
"I don't like this. There's another idiot besides me that would think about bonding a soul onto a suit of armour." He introduced himself one more time as the serial killer slicer he even showed me where his soul was bonded to his armour "Since you're being so kind you wouldn't mind letting me go like I am now right?" I asked with high hopes.

"Would a killer ignore and allow the prey in front of him to escape?" He asked back "Now I come at you." He said charging at me one more time. This fight wasn't going to be easy.

 **So please comment review the question about Barry is still on the table for those of you that skipped hat question here it is again. Should Barry have kidnapped Ed like he did with Winry in the original series or should I stick to how Brotherhood did it?**

 **And Also the fate of Hughes might rest on you guys live or die it's all the same to me. See you next time.**


	11. Lust and Envy

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions**

Our blades clashed again. The fight was more intense the the first round. Maybe that was because he showed me where his blood seal was. They meet a few more times before I felt something wrong in my shoulder. _'That didn't feel right.'_ I couldn't help but think about what Winston was trying to tell me back home, it was something about it not being as strong as the last one. _'Crap I better finish this soon or else I'll be in trouble.'_ I started dodging his attacks instead of blocking him. He swung his sword several times with no breaks in between. I back-flipped to avoid his strike but he caught me with his blade and he hit my left arm right on my shoulder. I tried to be more careful with my dodge attempts he was pushing me back to the wall, it's like he knew that I couldn't use my arm that much more. I rolled away from him and and landed on my ass. I started panting, stupid chest band.

"You're just like a monkey." He laughed at me.

"What did you say?!" I yelled at him.

"I'm so lucky to have a worthy and energetic prey." He stuck he sword into the ground "With your wounds and fatigue, I can see where this fight will lead. Your friend outside is probably being taken care of by my companion around now. He can't come and save you."

"So, is that companion of yours strong?" I asked him. I was panting hard, god I was out of practice.

"Yes he is strong though weaker then me." He responded. I started laughing, Al was going to be all right

"Then I don't have to worry." I stood up. "Since way back I've never won once whenever I get in a fight with him" I wiped the blood from my chin. I grinned at him, it was his turn to be nervous.

"Even if he does arrive here, he would waste a great deal of time." He was panicked now. Time to sell this act.

"And your point is?" I asked. I started to circle him, I was staring him down, not breaking his eye contact. I pretended to see someone behind him and yelled. "Al! Do it now!" Slicer turned prepared for the attack.

"A trick!" When his back was turned I made my move. I knocked his head clean off of his shoulders, literally. "How cowardly." He tried to shame me.

"There's no such thing as being cowardly in a fight." ' _Oh god I sound like Mustang.'_ The armour feel to the ground with a loud clang. I de-transformed my sword back into my arm. He was taunting me trying to get me to destroy him.

"I'm not going to do that I have something I want to ask you." I picked up his head as I said that.

"About the philosopher's stone?" He asked back.

"Spill your guts on what you know."

"I can't tell you."

"Hey loser isn't supposed to be resisting." I told him. I won fair and square. He started laughing at me

"I haven't lost yet." Wait what? I felt the sword go through my side. I grabbed it quickly trying to stop the bleeding.

"That's impossible!" I didn't understand. He explained that both he and his little brother were bonded to the same suit. "That's cheating." I yelled at him. Adrenalin was kicking up but I was still shaking. I saw where his blood seal was.

"This wont be a long fight you are already shaking and we haven't even started." He tried to freak me out.

"Shit." I clapped my hand together to bring the sword back. "Don't underestimate me." I was about to bring the sword back when he lunged at me

"I won't give you time to transmute." He keep swinging at me. _'I've lost too much blood, I really am feeling shaking.'_ I was feeling tired because of it. He hit me in the ribs with the blunt of his sword. I started coughing up more blood.

"You are a girl." The man said out loud _'Damn, how did he find out.'_ "You ribs aren't as solid like most men. You are a worthy adversary." _'I'm going to die here.'_ He sliced me once again across my chest. Die, die... I mind jumped to when scar was attacking me.

"Ah shit." I clapped my hands and when he lunged at me I ducked and touched his chest. His body broke in two. Scar gave me the idea. I slide down the wall I was pressed up against. I started panting again. I reach into my shirt and undid the bandage wrapped around my chest. That helped the breathing a lot.

"Dammit! You really screwed me up. Damn you kid." The chest said. That made me jump.

"Eww that's sick!" I screamed. They tried to convince me to kill them seeing as they were murderers. I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open. Then the tried to pull the we aren't humans any more card.

"If I accept that yo aren't human begins, that means my little brother isn't human. And I won't accept that, my little brother is a human and so are you." I was probably slurring my words. But all I wanted to do was sleep, NO! Had to stay awake.

"Kid! You said you wanted to know about the stone." I through myself awake at that. _'What about the stone?'_

"But as I said before, I don't know much about alchemy, I know nothing of the philosopher's stone." The head told me.

"Then what's the point of talking?!" I yelled at him.

"I don't know about the stone, but I know of who made it. In other words the ones who told us to guard this place."

"Who are they!" I yelled. That was keeping me awake, the yelling not the conversation.

"They are..." He started When to long sharp nail like things went through him. My adrenalin started again. A woman with a sultry voice started talking.

"That was too close. You mustn't blab too much 48." She held up the head close to hers. Those nail like things were her actual nails, _creepy._ Another person who looked like a trans-gender palm tree.

"Oh my, it's the Fullmetal brat." It said. "What do you do in a situation like this." they were both glaring at me. So I was going to die, huh I wondered how Al was doing, probably better then me. They both killed the brothers, one was constantly stabbing the chest part.

"Envy. He's already dead." She told him.

"Oh what a wimp. Really I hate it when they're weak." He turned to look to me. "How do you do, Fullmetal shrimp?" He asked while squatting. "I'm impressed tha you made it this far good job. But since you did see something you shouldn't have." He leaned in closer to me looking me dead in my eyes. "I guess I should kill you too?" Nope not going to die. Al had to get to Al. I tried to stand up I was using the wall mostly. I kicked at his face but he dodged it.

"Oh my the shrimp's getting violent." I was mad, it was the fire I needed to fuel my energy.

"Aww I don't like fighting. It really hurts." The one with giant boobs said. I clapped me hands together.

"Stop calling me shrimp." I went to move my right arm and I heard and my right arm fall out of place. What?

"Looks like an automail failure." The woman said.

"Yippy." Envy said he grabbed my hair and kneed me in the chest. I started to black out, it was hard to get air. The room was turning black. I had to stay awake had to get to Al, needed to help him out. They'll got after him too. Maybe the won't let him live. I started breathing harder then I passed out.

 **See you next time.**


	12. The hospital

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions**

I felt funny, _'what happened?'_ Right the laboratory, Slicer, those two weirdos at the end. Wait what happened to Al. Al! I through myself awake. I was alone in a hospital. Where was Al? Where was I? The door opened and Sergeant Brosh came into view.

"Mr Edward?" He came into the room fully Ross followed him in. "Or should we call you Ms Elric?" He continued. I gulped

"I can explain." I told them my story about why I was doing this, they seamed to except it.

"On the plus side it's great to see you awake." Brosh said.

"Where am I?" I asked the two of them, I knew hospital but I wanted to know where.

"This is a hospital of a friend of mine. We thought that it wouldn't be a good idea to place you in a military hospital, as we would be questioned a bit." Ross said I tried to sit up and stitches pulled at my sides

"Ah crap that hurts." I keep going I wanted to sit up. Ross helped and moved the bed up to meet me so I could lean back on it. "And I was so close to finding the truth." I started scratching at the stitches in my forehead. "There isn't time for me to be hospitalized." I ripped the iv out, then I tried to get out of the bed. When Ross and Brosh started talking at the same time.

"Fullmetal Alchemist Sir! Please excuse us for what we are about to do next!" What?

Ross slapped me, that was unexpected.

"Major Armstrong told you so many times not to act on your own, but then you two did it anyway!" She was scolding me "Even when he told you to stay at the inn patiently, because it was dangerous! And on top of ignoring the Major's kindness, you almost died?!" She took a breath "First recognize the fact that you're still a child, next don't try to do everyone by yourselves, please trust the people around you can't you put a little more faith in us adults?" They clicked their heels together and then said at the same time again.

"Please forgive us for our violent actions and words un-befitting that of officers of lower rank!"What? I started hurting again maybe I shouldn't have ripped out the iv.

"No... I'm the one... Who is at fault." I said I grabbed the stitches at my stomach.

"And the punishment for the slap?"

"No, no I won't do anything." They looked really relived. I told them to relax and that I wasn't in the military to pull rank on people, and that they didn't have to speak formally to me either. It didn't take long for them to get over that. "Hey how did you find out that I was a girl?" I asked

"Um.. That was kinda my fault, after you were dragged out of the building I grabbed you to carry you to a hospital, and I uh grabbed under your arms and felt your boobs." Brosh said. I laughed at how uncomfortable he was with the situation. Laughing was a bad idea, it pulled at my stitches and hurt my ribs. I looked around the room, usually when I was hurt Al came to check on me but he wasn't here.

"Where's Al?" I asked

"I hit Alphonse earlier and gave him the same lecture. Thanks to that my hand ended up like this." He showed me his hand, it was red and was swelling

"He's pretty hard!" I started laughing again. "Owowowow, ahahahaha." I leaned farther forward on my bed when my right arm dragged on the bed I remembered my broken arm. "There is still one more thing I'm going to have to deal with and it's going to involve a massive amount of screaming." I tried to get out of the bed more but they stopped me.

"We should probably get a nurse or something if you want to leave." Ross said and she left to go get one.

"What are you going to do?"

"I have to call my automail mechanic and get my arm fixed." Ross and a nurse walked in.

"It's nice to see you awake sweetie. Ms Elric right?" She was an older woman with greying hair, probably a grandmother.

"It's Edelle, Ed for short." I corrected her.

"Okay Ed, how are things feeling?"

"Fine I guess, I hurt all over, but fine." I told her

"Probably because you took the iv out." She scolded me. She put my right arm in a sling, the strap hurt the stitches in my shoulder but I dealt with it.

"I have to call someone is there a phone in this hospital that I could use?" I asked

"Yes in the lobby, but you have to use a wheelchair to get there."

"Sure." I said no intention to do so. When she left the room I stood up and started walking for the door. _'Man I hurt everywhere.'_ Ross blocked the door and pushed me down. _'Way to kick a man when he's down.'_ I was sure I was going to hit the floor but instead I landed in a chair. Brosh started pushing me out the door and down the hall. When we got to the phone I dialled the Rockbells number.

"Hey Winston it's me."

"Ed it's rare for you to call us." He told me

"Uh actually it's hard to say, but can you come out here to do some maintenance work?" I asked

"Come over Edelle are you okay?" He asked he sounded concerned

"Yeah you see my right arm broke and there's a little reason why I can't go over there now. Can you come to central?" I asked my voice was a little shaky.

"Broken? How? Ed are you okay?" He re-asked

"My fingers are moving but the arm wont move at all. It feels like my shoulders gone out of whack." I told him. He mumbled something something about knowing that it was broken. It was about time that the yelling started. He scolded me for being in that fight and how I got hurt.

"Where are you in central?" He asked me after he was done yelling

"What? You are coming down?" I couldn't believe him.

"It can't be helped, now where should I go?"

"Okay I'll fill you in on the details when I call again." I told him

"Okay fine be there soon." He said and hung up the phone.

"Calling your boyfriend." Brosh said behind me asking me jump. I felt my stitches rip. They patched me up fairly quickly and Brosh was wheeling me back down to the room.

"He's just my mechanic"

"Oh that's no fun." He tried talking about himself when he was my age when I was wheeled past a dark hallway. I saw Al sitting down there.

"Al! What are you doing in the corner?" He was ignoring me. "Al!" I screamed a little louder. He moved his head turned to me. "Don't stay over there. Why don't you come over to my room?" I asked him. He didn't answer me. "Never mind I'll go on ahead." I said so maybe he does hate me.


	13. Winston meets Central

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions**

 **POV Winston**

I was getting off the train station.

"Man my butt hurts. How do those two ride on trains all the time?" I asked to no one. I was looking through the crowd of people "There are way too many people here." I said as I tried to push my way through the crowd of people trying to find a land mark. "Damn Edelle, what the hell did she mean that I'll see the landmark at the west gate?" I saw a huge man in a military uniform, I'll ask him. "Excuse me sir? I'm supposed to be looking for a landmark at the west gate do you know where it is?" I asked the huge man.

"Are you Mr Rockbell?" He asked me

"Yes, sir how did you know who I am?" I asked him readjusting the tool box on my shoulder.

"I'm Major Armstrong, the Elric... brothers sent me to go and get you." _'Oh you're the landmark. Why did he hesitate at brothers did Ed tell everyone?'_

"Okay great where are they?" I asked looking around maybe they where here somewhere.

FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM

 **POV ED**

I was laying down on the bed starring at the ceiling, The nurse just unhooked the iv so I was starting to feel my injuries again. When Armstrong visited us, he cracked four of my ribs, man that guy could hug. Al and Brosh were in my room but nobody was talking. I was about to break the silence when I heard two pairs of combat boots walking down the hall. Was that Winston? Would I be saved from this awkward silence?

"NO WAY!" I heard Winston yell. Maybe the silence was better. I tried not to look to inured "I didn't hear anything about you being here for getting hurt that badly."

"It wasn't that bad until Armstrong showed up and crushed me. And don't laugh because of that I have to stay here even longer."

"Your training isn't sufficient." Armstrong told me I smirked at that.

"Don't confuse her with people like you!" Winston yelled at Armstrong. "But still aren't you still hurt really badly even without the part the the major did?" Winston asked I when got up and the hospital gown opened exposing my top half of my body which consisted of my bra and and mostly bandages. Winston started starring at the bandages. I pulled the shirt back together so he would stop starring at the wounds.

"This isn't a big deal, it'll heal pretty fast." Winston looked sick. "What's wrong?"

"I was wondering if you got hurt because your automail broke down, because I didn't fix it properly." He admitted. The room went silent all eyes were on me. But I couldn't help but think about how cute he looked when he was worried.

"What NO! This wasn't your fault Winston. It broke because I was doing something stupid. Your maintenance was fine like usual." I told him quickly. He might have been cute but I wouldn't want him to freak out in front of everyone here. He looked at me like I was crazy for a second then he made a face like he had the best idea in the world.

"Great then I'd like to discuses the cost for the maintenance trip right away." Winston joked and sat down on my bed. Wow him being cute left quickly when he started talking about money.

"Yes good fix her arm and the energetic Edelle Elric ought to come back soon." Armstrong said.

"Speaking of Edelle, when did you tell them?" Winston asked

"The Sergeant over there decided to cop-a-feel while I was unconscious." I joke "And found out and told the Major and the Lieutenant over there." Winston gave Brosh his best death glare he had. And Brosh hid behind Ross. I had to laugh. Unfortunately, that hurt my ribs and Winston stood up and leaned over me.

"You okay?"  
"I'm fine it just hurts." I said grabbing my ribs. I started coughing. Winston looked at the tray looking for some water to give me. The tray was almost empty except for the glass of milk he grabbed it and handed it to me. "No thanks." I said between coughs. "I don't drink milk."

"It's because of crap like that that you're always going to a midget." Winston yelled at me.

"There is no way I'm going to drink something secreted from a cow!" I yelled back.

"Edelle Elric you are being selfish, you want to heal quickly then you must be well fed!" Armstrong joined into the screaming match.

"It shouldn't be a problem if I can take something else besides milk for nutrition, right!?" I yelled at the two. I was watching Al walk to the door

"That's why you haven't grown!"

"Nobody said that milk is the ultimate source of nutrition!" I was still looking at Al and how he walked out the door without saying anything

"Look you still have your baby fat!" He pinched my cheeks that were hidden under my bangs. I lost interest in the fight, there was something wrong with Al and he hasn't told me anything. "Ed what's wrong? Why did you stop? Was I too mean?" Winston said

"No, I'm fine, there is something wrong with Al." I tried to get out of bed to follow him, but Winston pushed me back down.

"Let's fix that arm before you do anything stupid." He said. He took out his tool box and started laying tools out on the side table. "Roll over you know the drill." I took off the hospital gown top and tried to roll over without hurting to much. Winston helped me trying to take some pressure off my ribs. "Easy there tiger." He grabbed the rolling tray that the nurse put my meal tray on. "Take this" He handed the meal tray to Armstrong. Then Winston grabbed a clothe and laid it down on the tray and placed my arm on it. He started working on my arm, like he knew exactly what was wrong with it. Well it was his automail.

"If I remember right you said something like you won't need me or Granny once you get the philosopher's stone?" He paused "Try moving your hand now." I tried and nothing. "No? Okay." He scooted on the stool he was sitting on "Yet you're still stuck with automail." He said continuing his conversation.

"Shut up! This is giving me a lot of grief." I told him. "For now, I have to keep it and Al is still going to be like that... He's been acting strange lately..."

"Strange?I mean I saw that he left but is there something more?"

"Yeah. It's like he's not talking as much or he's thinking about something."

"Maybe he got shocked because I hit him." Brosh offered.

"No, I don't think he's not the sort of weakling who'd get shocked at something as minor as that."

"I wonder what if he's worried about something." Winston asked

"So you don't know either. Crap I thought it was some guy thing you could fill me in on."

"How should I know, when you don't know and you're always with him?" Winston asked me.

"Maybe he has a crush." Brosh asked

"Don't get him confused with a horny Sergeant." I tried to turn my head to glare at Brosh but Winston held me down.

"Okay that's it your good."

"Really?" I pulled my arms underneath me and pushed myself up. "It's finally fixed!" I started moving my arm up and down and rolling my shoulder.

"Now hurry up and get better." Winston told me. I pulled my shirt back on, just in enough time too because Hughes walked through the door.

"Hey! Ed! You getting along okay? Any hot nurses?" Hughes came in and asked me.

"What no! There all old ladies." I dropped my voice and answered Hughes.

"Oh, so you like older girls then." Hughes joked.

"What no! I didn't mean that." I started, then realized that it was pointless. "Winston this is Lieutenant Colonel Hughes."

"Winston Rockbell." He said shaking his hand.

"Maes Hughes pleased to meet you." He was completely out of uniform, on a work day too.

"Is it all right to sneak away from work?" I asked him

"I'm off duty from the afternoon on."

"Really didn't you say you were really slammed the other day?"

"No need to worry! I left the over work for Seska to do. So while I was off duty I came to check on you and tell you some news about Scar." I jumped up on my bed and pulled at my stitching. "It seems like you'll be released from our watch pretty soon."

"Really?! I'm finally done with these annoying escorts!" Brosh and Ross reacted to that

"Escorts... Hey, what kind of dangerous business have you gotten into!"

"Ugh! No, nothing don't worry, it's not a big deal."

"Right. It's one of those things that you _brothers_ wouldn't tell me if I asked anyway." Winston said putting emphasis on the brothers bit. "Well anyway see you tomorrow, I have to go look for an inn to stay at."

"You can stay at one of the military lodging facilities for cheap if you mention my name."

"Military what? That sounds a bit to stiff."

"In that case you can stay over at my house. My family would be delighted!"

"I don't want to impose myself on somebody I just met."

"Okay let's do that and let's go!" Hughes grabbed Winston and that was the first time that I ever saw Winston get dragged out of the room by anyone. But that was two times in two weeks that I've seen Hughes drag two different people out of a room. Poor Winston.


	14. Daddy's little girl

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions**

 **POV HUHES**

I was walking down the streets of Central carrying presents for my little angle Elicia when Winston asked beside me carrying a huge teddy bear that was perfect for my little girl.

"Mr Hughes? What is this for." He asked from behind the bear.

"I'm glad you asked! Today is my daughters 3rd birthday." I told him speeding up my pace so I could get home and see my little girl sooner.

"Are you sure it would be all right if I stayed at your house I mean I don't want to crash her birthday party."

"Nonsense the more the merrier!" I told him. When we got to my front yard, my front door opened to my beautiful wife and adorable daughter.

"Papa, welcome home!" Elicia said to me running to come and get me.

"What a handsome guest." Grecia said looking at Winston with a bit of concern.

"Elicia, I wanted to see you all day!" I picked her up and hugged her as tight as I could.

"Papa your beard is tickling me." she giggled .

"I told you about the Elric brothers right? Well this is their childhood friend Winston. He was looking for a place to stay so I brought him." I told Grecia about Winston. "Winston, this is my wife Grecia and my daughter Elicia."

"Thank you for letting me stay here Mrs Hughes."

"It's no problem Winston and please it's Grecia." My lovely wife shook his hand and greeted him into our home.

"Elicia how old are you?" Winston bent down to be eye height with my little girl

"Two...Thwee!" Awww that's so cute, I held my face. The party went on fairly smoothly and I started chatting up Winston to see what kind of a man he was.

"So you're his mechanic?"

"Yes. We were all born in Resembool and our houses were close. When we were kids we used to always be together like brothers."

"Must have cause a lot of trouble because of that." I said I couldn't wait before Grecia and I had more kids to fill the house with. And maybe when I finally found Roy a wife Elicia could have some friends too.

"I guess you could say it did, but I only get worried. And just when I think they come back, it turns out he totally busted his arm." He started talking about how worried he was about the brothers. "I wonder if I was really their brother, would they have told me about leaving home, and also about those wounds I saw today. It's not that they didn't ask for advice it's that they didn't need any advice."

"They are going to be all right, those brothers are tough but when they start giving up at that exact time, you stop them, isn't that fine enough?" Winston looked like he was thinking about what I just said.

 **POV ED**

I woke up to a nurse prodding at me.

"Oh sorry I didn't mean to wake you, sweetie I was just checking your bandages."

"Well I'm awake now. How are they looking?" I asked

"They are looking better and your ribs should be healed in no time." She smiled at me. _'Yeah in six weeks, I know this drill.'_ I smiled back at her.

"I'll let you get on with your day then." She left the room after pushing the moving tray beside my bed with my breakfast on it. There was a glass of milk sitting on it. _'Dammit I thought I told them no milk.'_ I thought to myself.

"So we meet again old friend." I glared at the milk. "I've had enough of this why do they keep giving me milk? I'm defiantly not drinking this." I looked to Al sitting in the conner of the room "Hey Al why don't you drink this, oh wait you can't not with that body."

"Sister you have a real body why don't you just drink it." I started eating the rest of my breakfast.

"I don't like stuff I don't like." I took a bite of the scrambled eggs they gave me. "It's not like I'm going to die from not drinking milk." I kept eating the food it wasn't that bad for hospital food. "And even though I look like this I'm still growing, but everyone keeps saying I'm small! Al you're lucky since your body is huge." I took a bite from the bread.

"I didn't want this body!" Al stood up and the chair was knocked over by force. He screamed at me and it just confirmed my theory, he does hate me. Al was shaking with rage.

"Al... I'm sorry." I gulped "It's my fault that everything got screwed up... That's why I wanted to restore your body as soon as possible..."

"And what proof is there that you're really going to restore my body?"

Al of course I'll restore you, you just have to trust me." I could feel myself tearing up, no I was not going to cry.

"Trust? You're telling me to trust what with this hollow body. In alchemy they say a human being is made up of mind, flesh and soul. But was there every a person that proved that in an experiment?!If you think about it logically all memory is just information, so it ought to be possible to artificially create one." Al yelled at me I was too focused on him I didn't notice when Winston and Hughes walked in.

"What are you talking about Al?" I asked afraid of the answer.

"Sister you said there was something you wanted to tell me something you were too scared to say. Could that have been something like my soul and memories were totally fake? How do you prove I even existed? Isn't it possible that everybody is tricking me? Well is it sister?" I threw my fist down on the table. My automail hand dented it. My throat felt dry and my face red.

"Is that what you had been holding in you the whole time?, Is that everything you wanted to say?" I took a deep breath my voice was shaky. "I see then." I stood up and walked out of the hospital room with tears in my eyes, my everything hurt, emotionally and physically. _'my little brother thinks he isn't real.'_ I went to the roof looking for some place quiet to let go of my emotions.

 **POV WINSTON**

I called for Ed as she walked down the hallway but I could tell she wanted to be alone. I grabbed my trusty wrench the one I always carried with me and hit Al on the head.

"Jackass!" I yelled at him, the hit knocked him down.

"What was that for?" he asked shocked that I would hit him.

"Al you moron you don't know how she feels!" I hit him again. "That thing that she wanted to tell you, the thing Ed was to scared to ask you was if you blamed her for what happened." I hit him again "She cried every night while moaning about the pain and the fever that came with the automail surgery." I dropped down so I was eye level with him I kept hitting him less and less hard with each hit. "In what world would an idiot be willing to throw away her own life to make a fake little brother?" I stopped hitting him "Isn't she your only sister?" I pointed to the door "Go after her and apologise." He ran out of the room and I watched him from the doorway.

"Ed is a girl?" Hughes asked almost to himself.

"Yep and if you tell anyone about Edelle, what I just did to Al would be nothing compared to what I would do to you." I threatened him. _'Great threatening a military man the things I wont do for Ed.'_ "Come on let's go get them." I said to the officers and followed Al up to the roof.

 **POV ED**

I heard the door open and I wiped the tears from my face.

"Sis..."

"That reminds me I haven't sparred in a while so my body's gotten weak." I kicked off the slippers

"What are you talking about your wounds haven't healed yet." I charged him that'll show him for pretending to care about me. I was throwing kicks at him because I didn't want to mess up the arm that Winston just fixed. "Sister wait you'll open your wounds!" he wasn't hitting me back he was just blocking me. I grabbed a sheet of the clothes line and threw it over Al's head. The when he couldn't see I kicked him in his face. He fell with a clang.

"I won." I sat down I was a little buzzed so I couldn't feel my injuries, but I was pretty sure I popped a few stitches. "This is the first time I beat you Al."

"That's not fair Sister." He said taking off the sheet.

"A win's a win." I told him "We fought a lot when we were kids."

"Yeah"

"Now that I think about it we fought over a bunch of stupid things."

"Like who would get the top bed or the bottom bed."

"I lost that one." We started listing the things that we have fought over now that I think about it I lost a lot. Al started laughing.

"Remember when Winston and I cut your hair when you were sleeping? It was right before we tried to bring mom back."

"What no I cut my hair myself."

"No ask Winston we did it as a joke."

"And you're saying all of those memories are fake?"

"I'm sorry."

"weren't you the one that said this at east city "I want to restore my body no matter what"? Are you saying that's also an artificial feeling?"

"That wasn't artificial."

"We don't need any half-hearted hearts that are going to get shaken up by something as minor as this if we are going to restore are bodies. I'm going to get stronger both emotionally and physically. And drink as much milk as I can." I said that last part with a bit of regret.

"Let's get stronger" Al said and we fist bumped.

"Al you have to do me a favour for making me upset."

"What sister?"

"Help me up." Al stood and he reached down to help me off the ground. "Okay I might have hurt myself a little." I said trying to walk to the door without it hurting to much.

"I knew we shouldn't have done that." Al said. Hughes and Winston were waiting for us at the door. I looked at Hughes.

"So what's going to happen?"

"Nothing, I'm not your commanding officer." He said turning his back and walking down the stairs "I'll get a nurse to show up in your room okay?"

"Sure I probably pulled some stitches out."

FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM

After the nurse fixed me back up again she re hooked the iv.

"Maybe that will keep you in here and not running around the hospital getting hurt." She scolded me and left. It left me felling a little light headed but on the plus side I couldn't feel any pain. Armstrong and Hughes were in my room with Brosh and Ross standing guard. I was filling them in on everything that happened in the 5th laboratory. Both Armstrong and Hughes promised to look into the tattoos and the subordinates that worked under Marcoh. The door opened and everyone looked to it.

"Excuse me." No other the the Fuhrer of Amestris.

"President King Bradley!" We all said together.

"Mr President why have you come to a place like this." Hughes asked

"Why to drop off a get well present do you hate melons?" He asked me. I did but I didn't tell him that. "It seems that you have been doing a bit of investigating on the military brass, Major."

"How did you?" Armstrong started

"Don't take my intelligence network lightly, and Edward Elric." Even though my mind was a bit fogey I jumped at my name

"The philosopher's stone was it? How much do you know? Depending on the situation." I gulped about to answer him when he started laughing.

"I was kidding! You don't have to be so defensive." He laughed at us But then he turned the situation serious in less then 5 seconds. "I will not permit you to involve any more people in this, nor will allow you to speak of this to any others, as we don't know who our enemies and allies are you must trust no one. Act if you believe everyone in the military is the enemy. But when the time comes be ready as I will have you work for me without restraint."

"Yes sir!" Hughes and Armstrong saluted at the same time, the medicine was making things slow so I just threw my right arm up.

"Now because I snuck out of work I have to sneak back in before anyone sees that I'm gone. Fare well we shall meet again." He said as he climbed out of the window. My eyes started to droop. Maybe I'll close my eyes for a few second.

 **POV AL**

Sister fell asleep as soon as he eyes where closed. I decided to try and wake her since everyone was here to work on the 5th laboratory incident.

"Sis, sis? Ed? Wake up you can sleep later." I said rubbing her shoulder trying to get her to move.

"Don't bother Al I had the nurse put in something to help her sleep this off so she couldn't tear open her stitches again. To be honest I'm surprised it took this long to work."

"Oh she was tired as soon as the iv was put back in that's why she talked so much about what happened in the lab. When she doesn't want to sleep sister talks." I informed them.

"Speaking of sister who else know about this besides the major and myself?" Hughes asked

"The Colonel and First Lieutenant Hawkeye and Sergeant Brosh and 2n Lieutenant Ross." I told him

"Good try to keep it a small number of people you trust, the more people get wind of this the more likely she might get punished for lying to the military." I wanted to inform his that we didn't trust anyone in the military and I don't need help looking after Ed, but when I saw him pull the blankets up on her I decided to let it slide, maybe we should trust more people.


	15. Goodbye my Friend

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions**

It was a few days after the sedating incident before the nurse took most of the stitches. Winston came into my room that afternoon with the train tickets.

"I bought the tickets you asked me to get. And your suitcase"

"Thanks Winston." I grabbed the suitcase from her and started fishing out my usual black and red ensemble.

"You can't leave now your wounds haven't healed yet." Armstrong told me.

"I can't stay in a place that smells like antiseptics forever, besides the longer I stay here the more likely people are to find out about my secret." I told Armstrong "I'm leaving Central tomorrow."

"Where are you going this time?" Maes asked Winston showed him the tickets "Dublith?"

"Where's that?" Winston asked

"Right in the middle of the south area." Al showed them on the map. I left the room quickly to change into my clothes. When I came back in Winston ambushed me

"Take me, take me, take me, take me!" Winston begged. Looked to Al and he showed me Rush Valley on the map.

"Go by yourself." I told him

"Who's paying for the trip?" He asked me

"Are you trying to threaten me?"

"Sister isn't it okay? Plus it's on the way." Al put in.

"Whatever, sure." Winston jumped and spun around the room.

"I planned to go back home, but I'll call Granny to tell her there was a change of plans."

"He's pretty happy." Al commented

"He would make a good husband, though not as good as me." Maes said leaning on my shoulder with his arm.

"Don't say that to me! And don't sneak something in about your own love life!"

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

When we were boarding the train Armstrong, Brosh, Ross, and Mrs Hughes saw us off. When the train left the station we started talking.

"Why did you guys what to go to Dublith?" Winston asked

"We wanted to talk to our sensei." Al told him

"We're defiantly going to be killed." I said

"Killed what kind of a person is your sensei?" Winston asked concerned. Al didn't hear him and said

"I knew it! I'm scared Sister."

"Be strong little brother, I mean maybe she wont kill us both. Just me, probably just me, Crap I'm a dead woman walking." I hung my head low this wasn't going to be fun.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV ROY**

It was late I walked back into my office because I forgot something, I was supposed to be in and out within a minute but the phone rang. I answered it.

" _You have a phone call from a normal line from Lieutenant Colonel Hughes of Central"_

"Hughes again? Put him through." I waited I cold hear a woman talking faintly on the other end of the line, then a gunshot. "Hughes! Hughes! Maes answer me!" I yelled into the line.

"Roy? Is it you?" Maes asked me, his voice sound weak.

"Yeah buddy it's me. Where are you?" I asked trying to keep him talking. Hawkeye walked back into the room looking to see what was taking me so long. I kept the phone to my ear and held the mouth piece away. "Hughes has been shot. Go get him an ambulance." I ordered, but it was more of a croak. Before she looked at me.

"Where is he?"

"Roy you still there?" Maes asked

"Of course I'm still here, just tell me where you are so I can get help."

"I'm in a phone both right outside of the big park in central. The one I proposed to Grecia in." He told me. I gave the information to Hawkeye and she ran out of the room.

"That's great buddy, help is on the way. Just keep talking to me." My throat tightened "Tell me about Elicia, how was her party?"

"I must be bad if you're asking me about Elicia." He joked

"Maes, please tell me." I begged him I just wanted to get his mind off of what was happening to him.

"It was great Roy. You should have been there, Ed and Al's friend came, what was his name? Winston? Yeah it was Winston, he came and stayed at our place."

"What was Winston doing in Central? Was there an automail convention going on?" I tried to keep the conversation going. I tried to follow his train of thought.

"No, Ed needed repair work done on her automail." His words were starting to slur together.

"Edward is a boy Maes, not a girl."

"Shit." He swore at me, which was rare because after he had Elicia he almost stopped swearing altogether. "They told me you knew, you can't tell anyone Roy, she needs to fix her body and her little brother's." If Maes wasn't shot I wouldn't have given him an excuse to be so sappy with me and begging me not to tell on Edelle.

"Shh, Maes it's okay I knew I didn't know you knew."

"Yeah I over heard them arguing. You know it explains why some one her age is so short."

"That's what I said." I was crying and laughing at the same time, I was going to loses my best friend. "Hows Grecia? How is your lovely wife." I could hear his breath quicken, almost like a panic attack

"Grecia she was here." He said. He was hallucinating, how much blood had he lost?

"Maes, she safe at home, with your daughter, and you need to stay with me so you can get home to them." I ordered him. After all we've been through I wasn't losing him now.

"Of course, if I go who's going to find you a wife?" Maes joked I could hear the smile on his face.

"Maes, where were you shot?" I had to know if it was in the gut he had a pretty good chance of surviving.

"Collarbone," He took a few breaths, "And I was stabbed in my shoulder and my side." He told me. This wasn't by chance someone wanted him dead.

"You've had worse." I lied to him. Maes went through all of the Ishval civil war without so much as a paper cut.

"Yeah remember my Bachelor party?" He asked me "I feel better now then I did the morning after."

"You've always been a light weight."

"Ross, Ross was here. Wasn't she. I don't now it was really dark I could've been seeing things." He sounded confused.

"Hey eyes on the prize Maes. How about I let you hook me up on a date when you get better?" I told him, I was willing to do anything for him if he lived.

"Even General Armstrong?" He asked

"Yes Maes even her." I hung to the phone like a life line

"Man I must be dying if you're willing to go out with her again."

"Don't remind me." I cringed at the memory of our first date. "Maes why are you calling from the park?" I asked if he was in Central command he would have been helped by now.

"She attacked me in the records archive."

"Who? Do you know her?" I questioned. I didn't want him talking about the attack, but I wanted him talking.

"She had dark hair, and pale skin." His breathing got ragged.

"It's okay Maes, calm down, don't think about it. Tell me about your wife." His breath quickened

"She... She saw Ed off at the train station today." He said to me.

"Great so Ed is coming home soon?" I questioned

"No... They are... They're going to the South."

"Good because I won't be here when they get back."

"Where are you going?"

"Central to see my best friend." I told him. Maes sounded confused at first, the lack of blood must really be getting to him. There was a long silence.

"Roy-boy? You still there?"

"I'm not leaving yet Maes, trains don't run at this hour." Then it dawned upon me, what happened to the guy that shout Hughes. "Maes, what happened to the man that shot you?"

"Um...he...she...she ran off." I could hear him swallow something, it was probably his own blood. Hawkeye walked back into the room.

"They say that they have arrived on scene Sir." She reported

"Roy, you still there right?" Maes asked.

"I didn't leave you in Ishval I'm not leaving you here." I waited a few seconds. "Maes the ambulance should be there soon do you see it?" I asked. I heard a grunt of pain followed by some quick breathes. "Maes stay still, don't move just tell me if you can see them or not."

"I can hear people." His breath was very laboured now.

"That's great. Hold on buddy help is going to be there soon." I heard the phone drop and the sounds of bodies moving on the other side.

"Who is this?" I heard a strange man ask on the other line."

"Colonel Mustang, from East headquarters. I'm a personal friend of Lieutenant Colonel Hughes." I told them

"I'm one of the paramedics responding on site, and we are about to take him to the military hospital in Central. He just lost conciousness" He responded

"I'll be there in the morning." I hung up the phone and looked at Hawkeye "Book my the earliest train to Central." I put my hat and coat back on and left the room. _'Hang in there buddy you can't die I still need you.'_

 **Hey guys! Long time no see, if you made it to the end of this I'm sorry. I really felt like this should have been in the manga/anime so I put it in. Don't think Maes is out of danger just yet... See you next time and please feel free to comment .**


	16. The Hughes Family

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions**

 **Oh and I know that this is supposed to be a femEd story so why was the last chapter focused on Hughes? It was because what happens to him shapes the story and spoiler he makes it to the hospital** **, so the story is a bit different. And besides Mustang is my favourite character and I love seeing put in difficult situation.**

 **POV ED**

"What made you suddenly want to see your sensei?" Winston asked I was wondering on whether or not I should tell him the truth. _'What's the worse that can happen?'_

"We've got two reasons. We've been on a losing streak lately. So anyway we want to get stronger that's one." I was about to say the second reason when Winston cut me off.

"What? You're going because you want to get stronger? Are you obsessed with fighting? Why can't you be like most girls and be obsessed with shopping and boys?" Winston said. I gave him my best I'm going to kill you look.

"You idiot! It's not as simple as that!" I took a breath to calm me down. "I mean I don't want to just get stronger at fighting. I want to get stronger on the inside. I want to get even stronger then before." I finished

"Yeah! I feel that if we go see sensei, we'll get stronger." Al said

"And the second one?" I could tell that he almost didn't want to ask.

"To ask sensei about human transmutation." I answered

"Even though we were trained by her she never told us about the philosopher's stone or human transmutation." Al explained.

"Yeah because getting involved with the philosopher's stone means getting involved in dangerous business. I thought we could try asking directly about restoring our bodies." I took a breath "I can't worry about how we do things any more. I'm ready to get killed by sensei, so I can ask... It was such a short life wasn't it Al?"

"I wanted to get a girlfriend at least sister." The panic was present in the cab now.

"oh I almost forgot. I have something that'll cheer you up!" Winston reached into one of his bags that he brought on. "Look apple pie!"

"How did you get this?" I asked him It was big enough for three people.

"Mrs Hughes said I should take something for the trip and made this for me."

"Sis have my share." Al said.

"Are you trying to apologise for what happen at the hospital?" I glared at him "I'm over that Al." Winston was sick of my talking and shoved a piece into my face. "Crap man this is good."

"Mrs Hughes is really good at cooking! And don't worry Al she gave me the recipe so you can have Ed make it for you when you get your body back."

"Like hell I'm cooking for anyone! I'm not some house wife!" I was mad but that wouldn't make me stop eating the great pie.

"Mr and Mrs Hughes were really nice."

"Lieutenant Colonel Hughes is a stupid parent, a buttinsky and over all annoying guy." I said pointing out everyone of his flaws.

"He always came and visited you in the hospital, and he handled the news about you being a girl fairly well."

"Everyone has so far Al and that makes me worried. I keep waiting for the one person who wont accept me any more."

"Well when you do find that person Hughes will be on your side."

"Yeah when we get back to Central I'll have to thank him." I said only a few more hours and we'll be in Rush Valley.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV ROY**

If you asked my opinion it was to early in the morning to be up let alone be getting off of a train, but I asked Hawkeye for the earliest train and this is what I got. I made straight for the hospital after we got the bags off of the train. I didn't look for anyone in the waiting room I went right up the front desk and asked.

"I need to know which room Lt. Colonel Hughes is in." I was lucky I was still wearing my uniform so I didn't need to show any form of identity.

"Lt. Colonel Hughes hasn't left surgery yet, when he is out you are going to need to wait until he is out of recovery. We'll have someone inform you when you can see him. Please sit down while you wait." The nurse went back to her work completely ignoring me if I had any other questions. I turned to walk back to the waiting room where I saw Grecia sitting down with Elicia sleeping on her lap. When I got closer I could see the tear tracks on her face. I sat down besides her.

"How long have you been here Grecia?" She looked at me as if she just realised that I was there. She wiped tears from her face.

"About three hours." She answered. It wasn't more then a whisper.

"Any news?" I asked. I leaned forward to rest my elbows on my knees.

"About an hour ago a nurse informed me that there was a complication because the bullet didn't exit so they had to remove it instead of just patch it up." She was full out sobbing. Elicia started to wake up.

"Hawkeye take Elicia and go get something to eat okay?" I asked, but it really wasn't a request. When they left Grecia threw herself on me and cried into my shoulder. "We aren't going to lose him after all of that Grecia. It's okay he's going to be okay." I was rubbing her back in soothing motions I'm not sure how long we stayed like that before a nurse walked up to us.

"Hughes family?" She asked. We both stood up.

"How is my husband?" Grecia asked afraid of the answer.

"We just wheeled him into recovery. Would you like to be with him when he wakes up?" She asked. Grecia nodded in response. It was pure luck that at that time Hawkeye and Elicia came back.

"Come on sweetie let's go see Daddy." She carried her daughter to the recovery wing. I grabbed the nurse before she could walk away.

"When will Hughes be out of of recovery?"

"Depending on when he wakes up and how he's reacting to the treatment, earliest I could say would be this afternoon."

"Thank you could you contact us at the Hughes residence when he is moved?"

"Yes we will do that. See you later then."

"You can count on that." I told her and she walked off. "Come on Hawkeye let's go get some sleep, I'll let you have the spare bed and everything." I said as I ushered my Lieutenant out of the hospital. "Great now let's go cheek out the crime scene."

It was late afternoon before we got any kind of lead on the murder attempt. Armstrong of all people tipped us off. I looked at Hawkeye to give her my plan. "I'm sticking onto the brass. Will you follow me?"

"You're asking me that now sir?" She mocked "Now let's go see your best friend."

When we arrived to the hospital the same nurse as earlier that morning greeted us.

"I was just about to call you, Lt. Colonel Hughes has just been moved to a regular room you are aloud to visit him if you want but don't overwhelm him. When he first woke up he had a panic attack." She said leading us to the room. _'Panic attack, Hughes you don't have time for this you need to get better.'_ I was lost in thought when we finally reached the room. Hughes looked pale, he had two ivs in his arm one with antibiotics and the other with most likely morphine or any other pain killers, a nasal canal passed under his nose and he was missing a the top of his gown, so all of his bandages were visible, his entire right side was covered in bandages it took my breath from me. Grecia and Elicia turned to look at us but Hughes remained still.

"I'll give you a moment together." Grecia said and pulled Elicia and Hawkeye out with her. I moved to the seat beside the hospital bed and grabbed his right hand one of the only parts of his right side that wasn't covered in bandages.

"You idiot." I hung my head low "this wouldn't have happened if I would have shown up at that stupid birthday party, I'm sorry Maes, I'm sorry." The radio was playing a song in the background that fit the mood of this situation. I sat listening to the radio for a bit when I felt him move. I wanted to run to go get Grecia but Maes gripped my hand tightly. He didn't have his glasses on so I didn't know how much he could really see. "Maes, you awake?" I asked him

"Hey Roy-boy." He smiled at me "You made it." He still sounded completely tiered they must have given him some pretty good stuff.

"Of course I told you I would be here when you woke up." I smiled at him. He started to drift back to sleep "You look like crap Maes." I told him

"And yet I have a wife and a daughter and you're still single." He roughly said he started to drift again.

"Go to sleep Maes I'll be here when you wake up."

 **So if you want to know what song Roy was listening to, it was Stand By Me, by Ben E. King and the Drifters.**

 **For those of you not liking the focus on Maes instead of Ed feel free to skip over it Ed is going to come back. And don't worry this wont mess up with the plot line of anything because I have a plan. And if you like Hughes not dying and want more on that I could make it an individual fic to explain why he is alive and go more into depth on that. I think I'll call it** _ **Saving Colonel Hughes.**_ **It will have my go to expatiation on why Hughes didn't tell anyone about Fathers plan and the homunculus.**

 **I want to have Ed kidnapped by Barry but if I do it will be a flashback so you guys can skip that too if you don't want to read that it should mess with the plot line too much.**

 **And like always feel free to comment and suggest things. See you next time in Rush Valley.**


	17. Attack of the Bunny

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions**

I saw a woman scream over a ring in one of the booths that we passed in Rush Valley. _'God people get obsessed over silly little things. At least no one in this group is going to do something embarrassing like that.'_ I thought a little too early when I heard Winston cry out.

"It's beautiful, this automail." He was making facing like that girl in the store. _'Oh Winston what are we going to do with you?'_ I asked myself. "Rush Valley a.k.a the holy land of automail. A whole city dedicated to automail. Hopefully the economy here stays afloat." Winston continued with giving us a tour of the town he has never been to. I heard a crowd cheering at something and that got my attention.

"Incredible 51 straight wins!"

"No one can beat this guy!" I pushed my way through the crowd to see what was going on. It was a mechanical arm wrestling contest. Sitting at the table was basically a grizzly bear with automail arms.

"Limited to only challengers with automail. Entry fee is 10000 cens. Take home the pot if you beat the champion!" The announcer said into the crowd. Some one behind me pushed his way into view.

"I'll do, I just got new automail and I want the test its limits." The match didn't last long it ended with the grizzly bear ripping off his arm and the challenger getting pulled into the crowd of mechanics. The announcer looked to Al next.

"How about you big guy want to give it a shot?" He asked quickly and Al turned him down just as fast. "What about you with the right automail arm?" I looked at who he was talking to then I remembered that I wasn't wearing either of my coats so he could clearly see my automail. "Oh sorry! A short-fart like you couldn't possibly win." The crowd started laughing. He new exactly what buttons to push. _'Okay dumbass how do you feel about loosing to a girl?'_ I walked up to the table and sat down when no one was looking I clapped my hands together.

"looks like another arm is going to break." A man from the crowd said. _'Looks like Winston is about to get a crap load of customers.'_

"You better win this no matter what Ed." Winston was glaring at me like he thought I was going to break his automail right in front of him. I put my right hand on the table and grabbed his right hand.

"Ready, Set, Go!" The announcer yelled. I put all of my weight into slamming my right arm towards the table, and his arm broke in pieces as it made contact.

"Sorry" I said trying to be as sarcastic as possible. "Looks like it's a busy day for the scrap dealers." The man was pulled into the crowd of automail mechanics. Man they were like vultures. I propped my arm on the back of the chair.

"Hey I haven't seen this kinda automail before." And with that I had all of the mechanics swarming me. People were pulling at my arm trying to take a closer look.

"I made it." Winston advertised. He grabbed my arm from the strangers and started pointing at spots. "See it's hollow here. Oh and her left leg is automail too." Winston said. With that the mechanics started strippping me down to nothing but my bra and the boxer shorts I wear over my real underwear. The crowd left after they got a good view. I crossed my arms over my chest trying to cover my bra. "Everyone here is so interested in automail." God if Mustang saw me now he would die laughing. I started pulling on my clothes before anyone recognized me as the Fullmetal Alchemist. I was half way dressed my I noticed it wasn't there. I started panicking.

"What's wrong Ed? And should your ribs be wrapped or something?"

"No there cracked not broken and my state alchemist Id, the sliver watch, is gone." I told them. I pulled on my shirt and boots quickly and started banging on the automail mechanics doors.

"Looks like the handiwork of Paninya. She's a thief that targets tourists." I was mad I was going to find this chick and beat her head in.

"Do you know wear I can find her? Please it's very important." I tried not to show my anger

"Well tell you but let us take a look at your automail." They begged. _'Stupid mechanics always the same.'_ I clapped my hands and brought out the blade from my automail and showed them. They threw their hands up in the air. "The west side main, in a shop called Glatz."

I got to the store right when they where about to open the hood.

"Don't move." I yelled into the room. "You Bastard think you can take my watch from me?" I was walking up to her when she threw a vase at me.

"Noooo! That's worth 1000,000 cens." The shop keeper yelled. I caught it before it hit the ground and she took off.

During the chase I was almost killed by a dog. That did no favours for my ribs or for Paninya. I caught up to her on the roof of a building where she was trying to open the hood again. She didn't know who she was messing with. I started using my alchemy on her. Let's just say I was really glad Mustang wasn't here to see this because she kept getting away from me. Even Al couldn't stop her. When she was about to run off again Winston grabbed her hand. _'That's my boy Winston!'_ I mentally cheered.

"I'm not letting you go." Winston told her.

"Don't let that thief go!" Al and I said running to meet them.

"Of course I won't. This automail you gotta let me take a look at it." He begged her. _'Yep that's my boy.'_ I threw my face into my palm. Winston had found his people.

 **Sorry guys short chapter from the manga short chapter for the fanfic. See you next time!**


	18. We have a baby

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions**

Winston was gawking at the other girls automail, I felt kinda jealous about it. What really pissed me off was the fact that Winston didn't strip her down like I was earlier.

"How come she gets to keep her pants on?" I asked out loud.

"Because you can't roll up leather dumb-ass." Then he went back to checking out her automail. "You have to introduce me to the creator of this automail."

"Sure no problem, but he lives in a remote place you'll need a guide."

"Okay we just need to find a guide now." Winston said

"I'll take you but on the condition that you forget what happened today." Paninya offered. _'She's flirting with him!'_ I mentally screamed. I grabbed Winston and pulled him to the side

"Don't make decisions by yourself. Winston she attacked a soldier!" I loudly whispered at him.

"Don't be so petty! It's only a minor problem."

"Minor problem?! Look at what happened to the town!" I yelled pointing to what happened

"Ed! You did most of that!"

"It was her fault she took my watch!" I screamed at him but nobody listened.

We dropped off the luggage at the hotel and followed Paninya up the mountain path. _'Maybe I shouldn't wear black all the time.'_ I was dying of heat walking through the desert. After crossing a shifty looking bridge we saw a house that looked like it was built into the mountain side. Winston and Paninya walked together most of the way talking about automail. The bitch didn't even give me my watch back through the entire trip. Let's just say I didn't like her. Then Paninya walked into the house and started introducing people to us.

"Is that Mr Tommy he doesn't look like much of a loner?" Winston asked and she laughed.

"No that's Lear and his wife Sadila. Mr Tommy is his father." Paninya said leading us to a outside table with tea cups set up. I leaned over to Winston.

"We don't have time for tea parties let's just get my watch and leave."

"I'm not leaving until I've meet Mr. Tommy." Winston growled at me. When Mr Tommy came out I left the table so the gear heads could talk and I went over to Sadila. She was pregnant and my guess was that she was due soon. Al and I were talking to the couple for a while before Winston called me over. And before I knew it I was in my underwear again. At least this time I wasn't in the middle of the city.

"Why are you pretending to be a guy?" Paninya asked

"A long story that's none of your damn business." I snapped at her. Winston and Tommy were talking technical stuff when I heard.

"The stress is too much maybe that's why she's shot for her age."

"Short... Wait a minute so if I lighten this arm I might grow taller?"

"It's possible." I was over the moon when he said that.

"I was right! Mr Tommy please make me your apprentice!" Winston bowed as he asked.

"Defiantly not." He shot him down. "I don't want an apprentice

"Well in that case just teach him how to make me taller." I begged. We begged him for a little longer and it ended with him kicking us out.

"Come on Ed hurry up we better get back to town soon." Winston said. But it didn't speed me up I felt the familiar ache in my automail telling me that it was going to rain. By the time I was dressed it started raining. _'Now Winston has more time to make Mr Tommy change his mind.'_

"I bought more time for Winston to ask and what does he do? Talk to Paninya about what ever!?" I was passing and bitching out loud to Al.

"Calm down sister they're just friends." I looked at Al _'Oh god he is so naive.'_ I thought. There was a silence when all we heard was

"My grandson is being born!" Shouted at the top of Mr Tommy's lungs. When the initial panic was done Mr Tommy left to go get the doctor. We laid Sadila down on a bed and Mr Tommy was back fairly soon.

"The bridge is out." He said. I ran outside to try and fix it, but physics wasn't on my side today. Every time the bridge got to a certain point it would break due to the weight. We couldn't add supports because the water underneath would wash them away. It was pouring and the only solution we can up with was to have Tommy take the old path which is longer and more dangerous. When he left I kicked a rock into the ravine.

"I'm a State Alchemist, a living weapon and at this important time I can't do anything." When we came back in Paninya threw herself on Winston.

"She's really bleeding and there's a lot of water.!"

"Oh her water broke." He said simply. "Looks like she's going to give birth soon." We were panicked. The doctor wasn't going to make it in time. The three of us were running around the room when Winston stopped us by pulling on our hair. He was still holding mine when he called for Mr. Lear. He told him his plan and Mr. Lear had some concerns. Winston tied one of the aprons on and walked towards the bed room.

"I know I don't have any experience, but we don't have time to argue. Everyone help! We are going to bring that baby out." Winston said "Ed, Al get some hot water."

"How much?" Al asked

"The more the better. Paninya get some more towels. Mr. Lear do you have any disinfectant? And get Sadila a pillow."Paninya came up to me and asked

"Are you sure letting him do this is okay?"

"We are going to have to trust him. He comes from a long line of doctors and when growing up he read medical texts instead of actual books. But he's never had real training. He's going to have to do this from memory."

"What?!" Paninya said alarmed

"We have no choice but to trust his memory." When Paninya left my side I went up to Winston who was frozen at the door. "Winston!" I cried out to get his attention.

"Good luck!" Al and I said at the same time. He went into the room and asked Paninya for help. It felt like hours were going by and all Al and I could do was sit and wait. When she started screaming we freaked out.

"I'm actually really feeling afraid." I sat down besides Al

"Me too." I tried to comfort my little brother by leaning on him. "Sister!" He called to me and I looked up. Paninya feel out of the room mumbling about blood. I looked into the room to see Winston sitting on the floor.

"What happened?" I asked and he just pointed to the bed. I looked up to see Mr. Lear holding a baby in his hands. _'He did it.'_ I thought "The baby!" I hugged him and started laughing. "You did it." Then I remembered. I went to the door and called out. "What's wrong Paninya can't handle a little blood?"

"Time to wash the baby." Winston said still sitting on the floor.

"Alchemist throughout the centuries were unable to create life! But a woman is able to carry a life to term in 280 days." I said

"Don't compare the sanctity of life with science!" He yelled at me.

"Sorry professional interest. But it's still wonderful! Humans are really amazing." I looked down to him "You were amazing too." He started laughing at that.

"No seriously you helped deliver a baby without incident." I told him.

"Great now could you help me up? My back hurts."

I somehow managed to get Winston on my back and carried him out of the room

"It's embarrassing to be carried by a girls who's shorter then me." He waited a few seconds "Seriously how can you lift me I weigh more then you."

"If it's embarrassing I could just put you down." I threatened.

"Oh by the way Edelle, I saw what was in the watch." I dropped him just as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

"How dare you open it!" I yelled at him. He hung his head low and apologized to me. "Idiot" I dragged him over to a chair and helped him sit on it. "Al hasn't even seen it."

"Why?"

"It's a warning and remembrance for myself. This way I will always carry it with me. Although its a bit wishy washy." I finished and Winston was crying. "Why of all people are you crying?"

"Because you two wont."

"Fool." I told him and shook my head. He had a stressful day don't make fun of him for being emotional. "I think you should go home Winston. Now you know how precious having a family is. Granny must be missing you. Go back home and look after her." He wiped the tears from his eyes.

"You're wrong. Now that I know that I'm not able to go home. You were right you have to become stronger, and so do I. To let you continue your journey without regrets I have to be stronger. The only way I can help you is to become a better mechanic, that's why I'm going to ask Mr. Tommy to accept me as an apprentice one more time."

"Good luck with that." I told him then walked over to the watch thief and hit her.

"You could've used your left hand" she said rubbing her face where I hit her.

"Okay I'll use my left hand." And I hit her again.

He said yes, sort of. Winston and Paninya walked us back to town. By the time we got our stuff the train was already pulling out of the station. We said our goodbyes as we chased down the train.

"Remember call Granny!" I yelled at him

'Like I need you to remind me!"

"Better steal some techniques from that old man. The next time we meet you're going to fit me with a new mechanical arm."

"Leave it to me!" And with those final words we got out of ear shot. Dublith here we come.

 **Hi guys. We'll be in Dublith next time and instead of two short chapters I gave you a longer one. We get to meet Izumi in the next chapter, the badass house wife. Remember what I said I have tough skin so feel free to comment and suggest things. See you next time.**


	19. Teacher

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestions**

"Maybe they aren't home." I told Al as we walked up to the Meat shop where teacher works. Mason greeted us at the front door.

"You guys are just in time Mr Izumi just got back from his trip." He said leading us to the back door. _'It would be great if they went on another trip.'_ I thought. Sig Curtis stepped outside of the butcher shop.

"Edelle?" He lifted his arm and grabbed my head. _'Oh god teacher isn't even going to be the one that kills me it'll be Sig.'_ I wasn't expecting him to start rubbing my head. "You've grown." I smiled, _'We should visit more often.'_ "Is this Alphonse?" He asked to the suit of armour.

"Yep, long time no see." Alphonse said. He started petting Al's head to.

"You've grown really tall." He looked to me. "What's the matter?"

"I have some questions for teacher."

"Then let's go, Mason look after the shop for me." He took off his butcher apron and started walking towards his house.

"How is teacher?" I asked trying to start conversation.

"She's quite healthy but sick at the moment." He walked up to his bed room window. And yelled into it. Al and I went to wait at the door for teacher to come out.

"We aren't going to worsen her condition are we?" I asked Al. He just shrugged. I wasn't expecting the kick to the back of my head.

"News of you has reached us my foolish student." She stepped out of the house. "You became a dog of the military and a man?... Well?!" I didn't answer her I was a little stunned. "Who's the walking tin can?" She asked looking at Al.

"It's her brother Alphonse teacher." He held his hands up in surrender.

"How tall you've grown Al." She switched back into her sweet voice. _'Al don't fall for it!'_ I thought but didn't say. He went to grabbed her hand and she flipped him over her shoulder. "Not enough training" She said as she walked back towards the house. We followed her in and she made us tea. I asked her if she ever heard of the philosopher's stone. The only lead she gave us was connected to the bastard Hohenheim. I couldn't believe he was still alive. "You two know him?" Izumi asked

"He's our father." Al informed her.

"That's good maybe he's still in Central City..." I cut her off

"That Bastard! I will never ask that bastard for help!" I looked away from the group so they couldn't see how upset I was.

"What did Father say?"

"Something about nearly fulling his long last dream, he seamed pretty happy." Izumi told us. That bastard didn't deserve to be happy.

When dinner was served Al and I told stories of our missions. It struck a cord on teacher when we mentioned helping Sadila give birth in Rush Valley.

"Speaking of which, teacher why haven't you had any kids?" But before teacher could answer Mason yelled my name.

"Edelle! Why did you pretend to be a boy to get into the army?"

"I just wanted to make sure that I got in. I mean it wasn't that hard when the Colonel showed up he already thought I was a boy I just had to lower my voice and learn to walk like a guy." I admitted "Anyway teacher you never answered me." I said going back to the original topic.

"Ed!" Mason interrupted again, "How's your Alchemy coming along?" He asked this time. "Lets see what you can do."

"Sure no problem." I ran to a spot of dirt on the yard "Come on teacher over here." Al walked up to the spot and started drawing a transmutation circle. When he was done he touched the edge of the circle and a horse came out of the ground. Izumi seemed pretty impressed with his work. "Okay my turn." I clapped my hands together and touched the ground. I wanted to show up Al a little bit so I created a pegasus standing on its back two legs.

"Sister's creation could have used more detail." Al commented on my work.

"You have a problem with my work." I questioned him. Izumi looked at us

"You don't need to inscribe a circle to do that?" She asked.

"No I don't" I answered. She was looking at us with cold eyes.

"Ed, have you seen that thing?" I knew what she was talking about. I shuddered at the thought of it. "You have seen it right?"

"I've seen it."

"That's why you were called a genius and received the acceptance of the State at such a young age."

"I'm not a genius I just saw that thing..." Everyone else had no idea what we were talking about. "Teacher." I started but I was cut off by little kids who wanted teacher to fix their toy. She fixed their toy with tools in her house and when she came back outside I tried again to only be interrupted by a little girl holding a dead cat. The little girl begged teacher to fix her cat but she couldn't.

"Living things are different from toys. I'm not god I can't bring her back, Chiko's life has ended, it can't come back." The little girl started crying at this. I felt so helpless, because I know what it feels like to want to bring someone back from the dead. "Though I can't bring her back to life I can make a grave for her, Okay?" She asked.

Twenty minutes later the cat was buried and we were walking back to the house.

"Teacher do you think we could revive a dead person?" I asked in the silence of the walk.

"Yes." There was more silence before she spoke again "Ed do you think being the Army's dog is such a good idea?" I froze.

"Since it began when I'm called to be a living weapon, I don't know if it means I'll have to take life I'm afraid."

"But you'll do this even to accomplish your dreams?"

"I have a dream to fulfil no matter what!" I thought that was the right answer. Teacher kicked me in the face.

"Looks like you didn't just break my rules. Al, the armour is empty inside. Ed two mechanical limbs."

"How?"

"How did I know? When I threw you the left and right made different sounds. You think I'm stupid? Don't take me for a fool. What happened. Speak up."

I took a deep breath, I was about to tell teacher everything, mom, that thing we made, the truth.

 **Hey guys sort of a cliff hanger I guess. Don't worry I'll condense the flash back you it's not like 5 different chapters all in the past. It will most likely be narrated by Ed in Ed's POV So see you next time guys. Don't worry if it takes a while to update I'm still writing, you could expect it for the end of the week.**


	20. The truth

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion**

"Mom never liked me doing alchemy." I started we were back at the Curtis's house. "She was fine with Al doing in but whenever I did something really good she would tell me not to mess with my dad's thing. So I wanted to learn more to change her mind. Al and I were self taught up until we met you that is." I took a breath. "Nothing I ever did changed her mind though. She loved me all the same, but it wasn't, I mean she never... Anyway the day died we were at Winston's so we came home to find on the floor in the kitchen." I looked to Izumi at that point her face was stone. I never told her about mom really. "That's when I got the idea to bring mom back. I just wanted to see her smile again. So we cracked down on the research. We stopped paying attention in school, we just wanted to learn as much as we could so there would be no problems in the transmutation. We started sleeping in basement where a lot of his alchemy equipment was. We wondered on if we should do this, on why it was illegal, it was difficult to learn on our own that's when we decided we needed a teacher." I hung my head low. "That's when we meet you. You took us under your wing and trained us. We learnt what O _ne is All, All is One_ meant. We survived the island even with Mason trying to kill us. You taught us so much within six months. And you even tried to warn us about human transmutation. When we finished our training we started fixing things back home. And we tried to figure out what true knowledge was. We went back to working on human transmutation. It took us years to finally figure it out. That's when it took Al and my leg." I tried so hard during the entire time to hold back tears but I failed. "I saw true knowledge. It took my leg as payment for seeing beyond the gate." I wiped my eyes "The next thing I knew I was back in the basement with my leg bleeding about. Then I saw what we made. I'm never going to forget that for as long as I live. I tied something around my leg to try to slow the bleeding. Then I knocked over the suit of armour and drew the blood seal on it. And got my little brother back." I looked up again and took a deep breath. "Al carried me to Granny's place and a few days after Colonel Mustang came looking to recruit alchemist for the state. He was the one that thought I was a boy so I just went with it. He left us with all of the contact info so if we decided on joining the army we would know where to go. I recovered from the automail surgery in a years time. And while I was learning to walk and use my arm again Winston was helping me learn on how to be a guy. When I went to East City Mustang took me to Central to apply for the job. I just clapped my hands and I had everyone's attention, then I used the spear that I made to attack the fuhrer. Believe or not that was the main reason that I got accepted. I was given the name Fullmetal and when we went back home we burnt our house to the ground. That was when we disowned our past life, that's when I became Edward instead of Edelle and there was no turning back, people have found out about it but they are all willing to keep my secret." I finished

"Both teacher and student huh. I lost most of my organs when I did mine." She told us. She looked at me. "It must have been painful."

"We'll we were asking for it, and it wasn't painful losing them just them being lost hurt." I clarified.

"You idiots." She pulled us into a hug, but she sounded like something else was on her mind. "Still becoming a State Alchemist by the age of 12 must be what we call a genius. And you are a genius for being able to see that thing and survive. But we still have to settle things. Edelle, Al you're out. I didn't teach you alchemy to do that to your bodies. And Ed have you learnt nothing with your time with me? O _ne is All, All is One_ you didn't even remember the first thing I taught you when first started learning alchemy." She gave me one last final look. "The car is outside go home." I bowed my head

"I understand."

Sig was telling us about why Izumi did the human transmutation.

"Come over any time if you are passing by Al, I'm sorry Ed I don't think Izumi would want to see you at least not for a little while."

"It's okay I understand." I was quiet for a while then realized what we came here for. "Al why did we come here?" I questioned him

"Mr Sig we're going back."

"Don't you'll get yourselves killed."

"We'll try not to." I called back knowing it was unlikely.

"Izumi!" I yelled into the house.

"We came here to look for clues on how to restore our bodies to their original forms."

"We won't leave empty handed." I finished

"Go home I won't help you." She glared at me her voice was like venom.

"Don't do it for me do it for Al. I can live with automail limbs but he isn't going to live his life in armour." I was determined she was going to help Al. She gave in and started talking to Al. I tried to only talk when necessary so Izumi wouldn't get to mad. She had the reaction I was afraid of shunning me for my lie. We decided that the best course of action was to try to revive Al memory. _'Be warned little brother you see that thing and you come back changed.'_

 **This came earlier then expected.**

 **So yeah sorry for all of you Izumi lover but I feel that she wouldn't respect her choice of joining the army as a man because she believes all living things are equal so why would Edelle have to pretend to be a man even if she is better then one.**

 **See you next time guys. We are going to be starting with the transfer to Central so those of you who like Mustang well he's coming back. Hughes will be there and please feel free to comment like always, I'll branch off a bit more the later I get into it. I have no intentions to go all the way to the promised day with this story maybe just up to a certain part where all of Amestris knows about Edelle.**


	21. Devil's Nest

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion**

 **POV ROY**

I was sitting in the General's office in East City. I just got back from a week in central. He set up the chest board and I sat down across from him.

"There has been an order for a transfer." He informs me. I wasn't expecting this especially after a week off of work. "You will be working in Central starting next week." He finished. He took one of my pieces. "It'll be lonely here, you've been quite interesting."

"Not as much as the stories of when you where young." I responded. I new the politics of this game, stay on the higher ups good side. We played in silence for a while.

"Thanks to your hard work, you made my job easier." He complemented me. We played back in forth in both words and moves. Until finally

"Check mate." I won. "I finally beat you." I was a well deserved win. As I left his office he tried once again to get me to marry his Granddaughter. I kindly denied him. "Speaking of special I have some subordinates that I want to take with me." He handed me his chess board.

"Yep take them it's okay." And with that I left his office to gather my men.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV ED**

We left the library later then intended.

"Come on Al we have to get home soon, I'm not going to screw up this chance with teacher." I said remembering the fight earlier. I disappointed teacher and I didn't want to make her angrier with me, on the brighter side she forgave Al. We took a short cut hopping it would shorten our time when a beggar came up to us asking for money. He looked almost like he was part reptile be that was impossible so I dismissed it. We turned the other direction and started running and the beggar chased us claiming he knew us.

"You transmuted your brothers soul right?" He asked. That made me stop running I looked at him and kicked him in the face. He got back up for more taunting me so I threw a trash can in his face. _'This guy just keeps coming back for more.'_ I thought in my head between beatings. I was going to go for one more blow but Al stopped me giving the man a chance to knock his head off. After seeing his empty inside he took off. _'He has a tail!'_ I was a bit disgusted by that. He took that opportunity to run. I looked at Al.

"What was that?"

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

"Fuck!" I yelled one morning. I started running around the house getting dressed and packing my things.

"What's wrong Ed?" Al questioned me. It has been a day or two since we first came to Dublith and Izumi was still ignoring me.

"I forgot this year's assessment. I have to go to headquarters and present what I have done." I was pulling on my jacket.

"The southern headquarters is closer then the Central one sister."

"Okay I'll be back within 2-3 days" I waved and ran out that door.

When I finally got there the assessment was already due so no matter what I did it was going to be late. When I was trying to find the technique assessment department when I ran into Armstrong.

"Young Elric! Come with me and I will show you to where you need to go." He said sparkles flying everywhere. Apparently Armstrong was escorting the Fuhrer on his inspection of Southern Headquarters, _'just my luck.'_ I thought.

"You came here for your assessment let me see that." He took my assessment and approved it. "So you here to cause the South trouble?" He asked me.

"No sir I'm here to visit my Alchemy teacher." The Fuhrer gave me a look like he was thinking about something.

"Okay then that will be all." And he sent me out of the room. I got back on the first train to Dublith and apparently do did the Fuhrer. They followed me here to meet my teacher. I lead them to the building so they could deal with Sig, while I snuck around back to give Izumi a warning.

"Hey where's Alphonse?" I questioned he wasn't there.

"Oh he was kidnapped. They don't want a ransom they want to know about the soul transmutation that you did. Also the man called Greed had an uroborus tattooed onto his hand." She finished.

"Okay I'll have Al back in time for dinner." I told her and left to go find Al.

I walked straight through the bar and down to where he was holding Alphonse. There was a man in sunglasses and fur in this weather.

"You're Greed" I said and it wasn't a question I was here to get my little brother and leave.

"You're the one called Edward Elric?"

"Yes I am. So you're a homunculus. How do I know you're not lying?" I was calling him out.

"My policy is to never lie. I want to know about the transmutation of his soul in exchange for information regarding homunculus. Equal trade right?" He smirked at me. I took it well and by well I mean I yelled at him for two minuets straight.

"You will not get Equal trade!" I finished. He sent his lackey after me. I beat him easily then moved onto Greed before the other man could take Al away. I brought my blade out. "Next?" I charged Greed he held out his hand, my blade should have gone through it but it didn't it just rebounded off of his hand. We fought and his hand kept blocking my blade from hitting him. I got my legs around his neck and threw his body to the ground. I felt his skull crack open. After a second he stood back up. _'What the hell?'_ He lunged at me while I was stunned. He scratched my stomach where the stitches were recently.

"Do you think you can beat me?" He questioned. "The deal is still on the table, and you being injured might be the better choice."

"You can't be immortal. I'll just keep beating you and get my bother back." He took off his coat and his shield spread across his body.

"I told you. You won't be able to lay a scratch on me. I took a breath and prepared to fight a man who couldn't die.

 **Hi guys I'm back sorry for the late posts but I work during the morning and if I want to do anything other then this I haven't been able to work on it during the day.**

 **I'll see you later back in the Devil's Nest.**


	22. Al knows

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion**

I fell down the wall. I think it hurt less fighting against Slicer. Greed broke the cover of my automail so I couldn't use the blade. And I was bleeding a lot, he reopened some of my cuts from when I fought Slicer.

"You dead?" He questioned from across the room. I couldn't let him win so I painfully stood back up. "Very good." He said as if this was a simple sparring match between friends. I charged him again and he threw me into some creates. He grabbed my shirt and lifted me up. "Better spit out the secret of the soul." I coughed. I was trying to figure out a way to beat him from the beginning and I finally got it. I had to change the density of the carbon he was using as his shield.

"Thanks a lot. I finally figured it out how to beat you." I clapped my hands and touched his arm that was holding me. My automail was ruined but at least it still moved. He dropped me and I landed on the ground. I lowered my head and waited for him to come at me. I transmuted spikes on my knuckles and meet his punch. His hand broke down to the layer of muscle. Then he regenerated it again. I kept using it against him beating him and his mind game.

"How the hell?" He questioned. I smirked and explained it to him. "And I thought you where just a stupid kid, I like your spirit, but you're a bad match to fight against. I gotta go now bye." He said that and the door was kicked in by two soldiers.

"We've found the boy." They started shooting at Greed without even making sure that I was out of the line of fire. They advanced as Greed escaped, when I was close enough one of them grabbed me.

"Let me go!" I yelled trying to get out of his arms. "No you don't understand there is something I have to ask him." I struggled against him. "Let me go!" I yelled they dragged me out of the room. Once we got to the entrance a man put a towel on my shoulders still holding me down. "Please my little brother is down there you have to let me go so I can get him." I begged the man, tears were coming out of my eyes.

"Edward calm down it's okay." Wait I recognized that voice I looked at the man really for the first time. "Havoc?! What are you doing here?" I questioned rubbing tears from my eyes. It was Havoc cigarette and all.

"Colonel said that you were late doing your assessment thingy so he sent me down to see if everything was all right." Wait Havoc would let me go save Alphonse

"Havoc you have to let me go Alphonse is still down there." I grabbed his uniform and begged him.

"Sure after we get you checked out by a medic." He stood up looking for a medic.

"Havoc you can't do that."

"Ed you're hurt and you need help."

"No you don't understand"

"What afraid of needles?" He mocked me. I pulled him down so we where eye level.

"I'm a girl!" I whispered at him loudly. He just stood there looking at me with big eyes. "I've been pretending to be a boy so I can be a State Alchemist and fix Al's body." I explained. He was still staring at me. "Please don't tell anybody, they'll kick me out or worse I'll go to jail and never fix Alphonse."

"You're a girl. Like with boobs and everything?" He asked eyes going down to look at my chest.

"Havoc!" I hit him. "Yes I have boobs but I'm still fifteen years old so no matter how old I get you are still going to be ten years older then me!"

"Right that wasn't appropriate, Okay so um how? Were you always a girl or did an Alchemy experiment went wrong?"

"I was born a girl, why does this even matter let me go get Alphonse." I tried to stand again.

"Easy there boss, let's get you check out first.

"Havoc I'm cut on my stomach meaning I'll have to take off my shirt, meaning ..." I left him to finish the sentence. He stood in front of me and stripped off my jacket and took my pocket watch, then he did my hair from the braid and pulled my hair, bangs included, back into a ponytail. "What the hell are you doing?" I asked him

"Trying to make not look like you." After about five minutes of trying Havoc succeeded. I didn't look like the boy I was trying to but the girl I should be.

"You ruined my tank top" I said on the walk to the ambulance.

"I'll get you a new one, and stop trying to sound like a man you are a girl right now." He told me. I sarcastically giggled at him making a face. When we made it there Armstrong was already getting patched up.

"Major what happened to you it looks like you lost a fight with a bull!" Havoc exclaimed "This is my little sister um.. Katrina." He snapped as he came up with my name.

"It's okay Havoc Armstrong knows." I informed him as I jumped up onto the table the medics had set up.

"What for how long! Am I the last person to know?"

"Shut up you aren't the last so don't worry, I still have to tell the rest of the team." The medics starting patching me up.

"We should probably take you to the hospital." One of them said.

"I'm staying here until I find my little brother" I glared the one who spoke down.

"So does the Colonel know?" He asked

"Yeah why do you think he sent you down to check on me?" I asked back.

"He would've done it himself but he's been in Central for the past week."

"Oh the lazy Colonel taking a break?" Havoc took a drag on his cigarette and nodded his head

"Something like that." He looked like he was hiding something.

"Okay you're all good." And with that I jumped off the table and took my coat and pocket watch back. Out of my coat pocket I grabbed 4,000 cens I gave two thousand to each of them.

"If anyone asks you didn't treat a girl you attended to the wounds of State Alchemist Edward Elric all right?" I asked and they both nodded. "That's how you keep a secret Havoc." I walked back to the Devil's Nest and undid my hair and put my jacket back on.

When I got to Al blood was coming out of his armour and he wasn't responding to me.

"Armstrong there's someone in Al." I whispered to him I opened up his armour to find a dead woman with a stab wound to the chest right through her heart. I started to gag as Havoc and Armstrong dragged her out of Al. When she was out and covered I looked at Al.

"Al!" I started knocking on his helmet "Al answer me!" He started to move the armour "That's it Al it's me you big brother." I said giving him the clue that we weren't alone.

"Big Brother?" I smiled letting go of the breath the I was holding. "You're covered in blood!" He looked down and saw the the blood was coming from him, then he looked at the corps. "I couldn't save her." I swear if he could've cried he would have. I hugged the helmet of the armour.

"It's okay Al it's not your fault, let's go home, teacher must be worried about you." I went to start attaching his chest plate back onto the rest of the armour when the Fuhrer told us to stop.

"The man behind all of this did you make any deals with the man?" He asked

"No" I shook my head.

"Did you obtain any important information?"

"Nothing beneficial to the military." I reported.

"You misunderstand, if you had made deals with them then we might have to execute you two depending on the seriousness of the matter." And when he said that his armed guards pointed their guns at me.

"If you had made deals with those who meant harm to the military..."

"Not at all. Do you have any more questions?" I asked

"Your right steel arm and your brothers body are they related in any way?" I held my expression and didn't answer the man. Then he chuckled. "An honest man." He turned around "Let's move out."And with that he and his men left Havoc Armstrong and my brother and I alone.

The two men helped me carry Al back to teacher's place because Al was still to shocked to walk. They left shortly after, and when they left I started to wash the blood out of Al's armour. It was completely dark by the time that I finished. I looked to Al who was still holding his knees.

"You all right?"

"Yeah just a bit confused."

"It's not your fault Al." I told him

"It's not that, I remember what happened when my body was brought over there." He vaguely told me but I knew he's seen the truth. "I didn't find anything about human transmutation."

"That's okay" I told him

"After all that no gain." He clipped on his chest plate and put his helmet into his hands.

"No that's not true remember the hospital in Central, those with the uroborus tattoo and the philosopher's stone..."

"Yup according to the president they might be associated with the unease of the military and he wants them caught."

"Then why was it necessary to slaughter all of them?" I asked "If he wanted all of them caught he should have caught them and made them spit out their locations." I said

"That's right" Al agreed with me. " It was strange in the first place that the president had to come down himself when he had so many men."

"Yeah it's not making a lot of sense... I'll stick with the military for now I guess." I kicked a rock across the walkway.

"We might find things out about the philosopher's stone" Al said in a cheerful voice.

"All right it's decided... Izumi Al is finally clean can we come back in I called into the house."

"Fine" She called back "I still can't believe he fought you Ed he said he didn't attack girls."  
"Well I don't go around saying "Hi I'm Edward Elric State Alchemist who's actually a girl"" I ended with a fake smile. And with that she went back to ignoring me.

 **Hi guys sorry for the break between post. Well I think things are moving along smoothly, I threw Havoc in there because Mustang would have been worried about Edelle. Also if you have been paying attention this is the first person Ed has told about her being a girl.**

 **So see you next time in Rush Valley again. And please like always fell free to comment.**


	23. Ling

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion**

After that night in Dublith I decided that it was time to go back and see Winston, mainly because my arm needed to be fixed. As we got off the train at the station we walked straight to town looking for Winston. I was smart enough to wear my red coat so no one could see my broken automail. We found him pretty easily because people kept shouting his name and talking to him as they walked by.

"Al I wanna try something." I I cleared my throat. "Oh Mr. Winston." I called in a high girly voice. He turned his head around. "Aren't we happy today with this fine weather." I continued. I started to laugh with the look he was giving me.

"Ed! Al!" He hugged us. "You never keep in touch why are you here all of a sudden?" He questioned. I took my right sleeve off and showed him my automail. He dragged me back to his work place. Paninya was there too, _'Great how much time have they been spending together.'_ I thought to myself. He started covering the exposed mechanics with gauze while I told him what happened in Dublith.

"Did you at least learn anything?" He asked

"I think so we might be coming from the long way around but I think we are getting somewhere." I answered

"Good at least you didn't break my automail for no reason." He started writing things down on a list. "So where do you plan to break my automail next?" He asked

"Central, I want to check something out in the HQ there."

"Central take me with you!"

"Why?

"I wanna visit the Hughes family again"

"You're right I should probably go and say thank you." Winston stood up.

"I'm going to order the parts so go kill some time." He stood and left the room

"What do you mean kill sometime?" I questioned and then Mr Garfield(Winston's mentor) offered to take care of us and that made us run to the door.

On our walk I got bored really quickly.

"There's nothing to do here, it's all automail shops." I complained

"Well it could be worse I like it here cause everyone thinks that I'm all automail so no one questions me walking around." I smiled it was nice that he felt comfortable.

"Mister...Mister, let me fix your arm, I'll do it cheap, please mister." A mechanic begged.

"Get lost, I already have a mechanic." I told him after he sulked away I looked to Al and he laughed. "I hate it here because people like that target me." I glared one last time at the man. I looked back to Al and he wasn't besides me any more "Al?" I questioned he was leaning in the alley. "Al it better not be another cat." I told him.

"Close enough" he said as he showed me an uncontentious boy. He had dark long hair a golden shirt and white pants, he had a pretty good build to him too. "Let's get him something to eat."

Within twenty minutes we fed the foreigner and he was thanking us for the meal.

"You guys saved my life thanks thanks." he said he had a heavy accent but I didn't know where he was from.

"So where do you come from?" I asked trying to start a conversation with him.

"I come from Xing." He said.

"Wasn't it a lot of trouble crossing the desert?" I asked starring at him

"It was, the rail road got buried in the sand so I had to swap between horses and camels to come here."

"Wouldn't it have been faster to use the sea route?" Al asked

"I really wanted to see Xerxes." He told us.

"So are you a tourist?"

"No I'm looking for something, I want to learn about the Alkahestry in this country."

"What's Alkahestry?" I asked it sounded like Alchemy but I wasn't sure.

"Oh that's right over here it's called Alchemy."

"Well you happen to be in luck because I am a State Alchemist, Edward Elric. Mostly we use Alchemy as a military resource, what's it used for in Xing?" I leaned closer to him and pushed the bangs away from my face only so the could fall down again.

"Mainly for medical purposes. I'm Ling by the way. Is there a big need for alchemy to be used for the military here?"

"We have non stop border line battles with Aerugo and Creta, and the situation in Briggs isn't looking to good."

"What a violent country."

"It was all that bad, alchemy became military based when our current leader King Bradley took over." I finished

"I want to learn about Alchemy in your country." Al said.

"Yeah tell us about alchemy specialized for medical purpose." I smiled bright at him.

"I'm sorry I'm not an Alchemist."

"Wait then why do you want to learn about our Alchemy?"

"Well I'm looking for something more specific, have you to every heard of the philosopher's stone?" he asked looking right into my eyes. My heart beat sped up a bit and I could feel my face turn a little red. _'What the hell is wrong with me, I mean he's good looking, and smart, and that accent. Holy crap I did not just think that! Calm down he thinks you're a boy.'_ I had the mental conversation with myself. "I really want it bad." He said still looking in my eyes. I started to breath faster. "Do you know about it?" _'We can't tell him. Why not? Because it requires human sacrifices and we don't know on whether or not he's willing to do that, but Ling!'_

"No." I was a bit flustered when I said it. I broke his eye contact and cleared my throat. "I don't know anything about that." I had to get away from him and think clearly. "No business with each other any more so I guess we'll be going." I was talking to fast it looked like I was hiding something.

"Oops there is one more thing." He said as he snapped his fingers. I felt a blade press against my throat. "It seems like you guys know something about it, can you tell me?" He questioned smiling. _'Oh he has such a cute smile. Stop that you're about to be murdered!'_ I reminded myself.

"What are you going to do with the philosopher's stone?" I asked trying to keep my voice steady.

"To find out the way to gain immortality!" That was another person who wanted the stone for immortality _'where do these guys come from?_

 **Hope you guys liked it. I know the Ed/Ling part is a little rough but I found a way to make it work and sorry I know you meet Mae before Ling but the Elric's haven't meet her yet and I just want to stay with them for now.**

 **Next time I'll be seeing you in Rush Valley again.**


	24. Rush Valley Rumble

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion**

I gulped and felt the blade still pressed to my throat.

"Immortality you say?"

"Come to think of it some guys were asking about that a little while ago too." Al said. Surprisingly enough I felt calm with a blade against my throat I grew a bit cocky. The person holding the blade left me an escape.

"Is it the new hype or something? Why would you want immortality?"

"For family reasons." He told me.

"How idiotic." I laughed at him.

"I'm serious!" He didn't liked to me laughed at, _'he's cute when he's flustered. Stop that serious moment going on.'_ I scolded myself mentally.

"Is that really the attitude you show to someone when you want a favour?" I teased him. I quickly grabbed the blade with my automail arm and yelled. "I don't think so!" It was a bad idea I admit that, but I wanted to get the blade away from me so I could have room to move. The masked man threw me to the ground and apparently the one holding Al back threw him too.

"They're tough." Al said standing back up.

"But hey they're weaker then teacher." I said. We each charged our own masked man while everyone in Rush Valley watched us destroy their town for a second time. Every move I made he meet it with a counter. He keep trying to break my automail so I tried to get some distance between us. I kicked him over me and rolled away.

"Close one." I was trying to find a way to beat him. _'He's not trying to take my life or I would already be dead. But it's still difficult to beat him with his fighting style. Think dammit! Okay what would Mustang do? "If your opponent has a temper seek to irritate" Okay let's see if he does.'_ "What's with that guy? You know the ones with the funny eyes, what the hell is that moron thinking?" I asked trying to piss the man off. He pointed at my eyes _'What?'_ Then his fist met my nose. We started fighting again until I rolled away from him. I grabbed my nose to try to stop the bleeding. "Aiming for the critical spots right away you are weaker then my teacher." He was a bit insulted at that so I saw my window and elbowed him in the chest. "To have a subordinate like this, I guess that droopy eye dude isn't that important then." He charged my this time and I blocked and dodged him. Mustang was right make someone made and they are easier to fight. He keep throwing wide punches and kicks. I clapped my hands. "Time to look at your face." I touched his mask and it broke. He had long hair and a really girly face, maybe because he was a she. _'no fair I thought I was the only one that was pretending to be a boy.'_ I was mad at that. She threw a bomb and me but I dodged it and grabbed on of the knives that she threw at me and cut my arm off. _'Winston don't hate me!'_ I prayed even though he was going to anyway. I dropped the arm and set a rabbit trap really quickly _'man when is this smoke going to clear out?'_ I asked myself. I threw a bit of rubble around the arm to hid the trap and to make it looked like I was buried in the rubble and I hid. After the trap went off I step into view. "Hey missy! What the hell made you think that that was a good idea? If a was a regular person you would've killed me!" I yelled at her. I bent down to pick up the arm _'maybe Winston could save it?'_

"Bastard you broke your arm!" She yelled from the trap and I countered.

"You tried to blow me up!"

"Brother!" Al called walking up to me holding the man that he caught. He saw my arm then said. "Winston is going to kill you."

"Yeah maybe I should research immortality for my self." I joked with Al.

"Feel free I could always use the help." The foreigner said.

"You have a lot of nerve showing up after you sicked those guys in us."

"I know my guys are really hot headed, but you two seem hot headed yourselves."

"When you pick a fight then that's what you get."

"You guys are strong . How about you guys become my underlings and let's take over the nation?"

"Stop day dreaming and go back to your own country!" I yelled at him.

"I'm not going back until I find the stone." He said. Over his shoulder I cold see the town people of Rush Valley coming to find out who was behind all of this.

"You! Every time you come here you destroy the town!" An angry man said.

"Pay for the fixing cost!"

"And the meal cost!"

"What no that should be on that guy he started it and he's the one that ate your food!" I pointed to the foreign man.

"Sorry I no understand much language of this country. Okay bye bye now." He said with a very heavy accent. And with that he ran away from the group of people. We turned to look at the two goons he had but they were gone too. The mob went back to yelling at us and I was feeling over whelmed

"I'm sorry I can't fix it like this." I said showing them my arm.

"Okay I'll have to do it." Al said and clapped his hands.

"Al you can do alchemy without a circle?" I asked

"Yup after remembering that thing." He said. I felt really proud of my brother and a little upset now that Al could do that maybe he wont need me any more. "Why don't you rest and I'll fix this up." I sat down feeling completely useless as Al fixed the town.

After Al fixed the town we walked back to Mr Garfields where the Ling was sitting having tea with Mr Garfield himself.

"Hi Edward" He waved to me. I felt my heart beat quicken, I couldn't tell if it was because I was angry at him or if it was because of something else.

"Hey, Ling" I said I half waved at him I tried to look anywhere but at him.

"What took you guys so?" He joked, and with that I ran up to him and hit him with my automail

"Why the hell are you here?" I grabbed his shirt and brought him closer to me.

"I fainted again and that beautiful man over there offered me help."

"Is that a custom where your from to faint all the time?"

"Is it a custom in your culture to be violent?" I hit him again with that.

"Not so much or culture just me." Ling looked to Alphonse

"Are men in your culture always this violent?"

"Not so much just him." Al said. At that moment Winston came into the shop.

"I'm back!"He called into the the shop. I stopped mid swing and I was still clinging to my arm like a club.

"Edelle! Elric!" He screamed "What the fuck did you do to my automail this time!" He yelled at me and clubbed me with his wrench. I dropped to the ground after the hit and tried to protect my head with my one hand. He looked at Ling. "Did you do this to her?" He threatened him this his wrench.

"What he's a girl? Well that's upsetting"

"Did you." He asked one more time. Ling started sweating.

"Not me per-say but one of my men." Ling told him. Winston swung the wrench and hit the table with it. Ling jumped. Then Winston bent down and lifted me off the ground.

"Hey you okay." He asked as he pulled me into a hug. I was confused, _'What? Why is Winston being nice I ruined his automail?'_ "It's okay I'm not that mad at least you aren't hurt." He let go of me and turned to Ling. "You explain now." Ling explained what he was doing in our country and what happened to cause the fight.

"Winston can you fix my arm now I just want to get back to Central and forget that this happened?" I asked him.

"Central take me too" Ling said grabbing onto my leg.

"No way in hell."

"Please I thought we were friends."

"Let go! You can't just grab onto girls like that in this country!"

"If you're a girl why did you say your name was Edward?"

"Because the military thinks I'm a boy."

"What happens if I tell them you're a girl?"

"It's you word against mine."

"But they'll check anyway, just to prove me wrong and when they check and find out I'm right what's going to happen then?"

"Fine! You can come with us but after we get there you are on your own. I'm not babysitting anyone!"

"Deal. Now Winston was it? Could you be a dear and fix her arm quickly so we could get a move on?" And that was the first person I've seen Winston hit, other then me, with his wrench.

 **Hey guys I'll see you on the Train Ride to Central! And when we get there some Hughes. Like always feel free to comment.**


	25. Secret keeping

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion**

Surprisingly enough there was still plenty of tickets available for the train ride to Central. Once the four of us bought our tickets we found our seats. I rested my right arm on my lap, Winston really outdid himself this time. The train started moving and I could feel eyes starring at me I looked up to see that Ling was looking at my automail arm. I grabbed for my jacket to pull it on to cover the arm.

"No keep it out, I've never really seen automail before so it interests me." I kept the jacket off and looked towards Winston who had a smug look on his face. "May I?" Ling asked reaching for my arm.

"Um... Sure, I guess." I used my left hand to push the hair away from my face as Ling grabbed my right arm. For the first time since I got the automail I wished I could feel with the arm, he had one of his hands placed just above my elbow and the other on was holding my hand. I drummed my fingers on his palm lightly. He looked so happy like a kid at Christmas.

"I can feel the parts move when you do that! Do it again!" So I drummed on his hand again. He smiled and laughed. We looked into each others eyes and I didn't feel self conscious at all.

"What do you mean you haven't seen that much automail?" Winston asked

"Oh Xing is more medically advanced then Amestris but we are a bit further behind on technological advancements, I grew up with stories of people with metal limbs but I have never seen one until I came here."

"Winston does some of the best work." I said. I looked to Winston again but he was frowning at Ling. I looked back to Ling he was still starring at my arm lifting it and looking at it from other angles. The cab was quiet for a few minuets Ling was working his way up my arm getting closer to my shoulder. He put his hand on my thigh just above the knee and leaned in super closer to my arm. I could swear he could hear my heart beat quicken.

"So Ling do you have a girlfriend?" Winston asked breaking the silence.

"What no until recently I considered myself gay." Winston moved away from him when he said that and I glared at him. When I looked back to Ling he was starring at me, are noses could almost touch he was that close. I held my breath waiting for him to make the next move. "I think you Amestrian might have changed my mind though."

"If you're talking about Mr Garfield and Winston, they aren't all like that." I said

"It wasn't them I was talking about." He said still looking at me.

"So Ling how old are you?" Alphonse asked this time.

"I'm 15." he said with a smile. Winston leaned over to me and whispered

"Aren't you almost 16?" with that I stood up.

"Stand up I have to see something." He stood up and looked down at me. He was a good head taller. "I thought lighter automail was supposed to make me taller!" I winded to Winston.

"1st of all I haven't learn how to make stronger lighter automail so you don't have it yet and 2nd of all it won't make you taller over night!" Winston yelled at me.

"I don't understand aren't girls supposed to be smaller then boys, so you're still tall for a girl." Ling said trying to understand what was going on.

"Who did you say was so small like a grain of rice that doesn't even show up in your eye!" I yelled I was going to hit him when a sword came from the roof.

"Do not threaten the young master." The girl named Lan Fan said. _'This was going to be a long train ride.'_

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV ROY**

Sheska woke me up from a nap all too early. I spent all night last night visiting Maes at the hospital, he would have been out right now but he had to tear his wounds back open. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes

"How long was I asleep for?" I asked her

"About ten minutes." I threw m head back, _'great almost time for the meeting.'_ I walked t the bathroom to find Armstrong and Havoc chatting around the sinks. I turned the cold water on and started washing my face trying to wake myself up.

"Major you injured yourself?" I asked out of interest.

"I fought a little in the south it's nothing to bad." _'Not to bad my ass,'_ I thought I could see that he was holding his ribs, they must have been cracked at least.

"Speaking of the South Havoc did Fullmetal renew his assessment?"

"yeah _he_ did boss." He put a little to much emphasis on he.

"What do you know?"

"Only that he is in fact a she."

"How did you find out? The only reason why I know is because I over heard them yelling." I told him.

"She told me herself sir." Havoc informed me. "Well she was panicked when I tried to get her cuts patched up by a doctor and she told me that she was a she."

"Wait told you herself. Havoc you know that means she really trusts you, and if you betray her trust you betray mine." I was dead serious when I told him that.

"I won't do anything to hurt the kid, you know that boss." There was silence for a while. "Why did you tell us boss, we could be protecting her and helping her out on her missions."

"It's not my place to tell anyone, it's up to her to tell the rest of the team when she feels the time is right. And she's a girl not a invalid she's not in any more danger then she was before when you thought she was a boy."

"But I would still feel better if someone was with her."

"Young Havoc do you forget my sisters?" Armstrong asked. I agreed with him the Armstrong women you didn't want to mess with, I still have the scars from that dinner with Olivier.

"What about Hawkeye? You want to tell her she shouldn't be watching me because it's dangerous. I mean just look at the other night she could've been killed by Barry but she wasn't. Do you think Ed is just some damsel in distress waiting for you to save her?"

"You're right you're right, I still have one more question Mustang. Are you still going to make the female officers wear miniskirts?" He raised an eyebrow and he had me. I laughed sarcastically at his question.

"Any news of Lt Colonel Hughes?" Armstrong asked changing the subject.

"He's getting better, I mean he still doesn't remember anything but he's getting better. I still haven't made any headway in trying to figure out what he learnt to make someone try to kill him."

"Speaking of Hughes, you know his nurse I have a date with her tonight and I need to get off of work early is that okay?"

"Fine go ahead but try not to traumatize her to much Havoc at least while Hughes is still in the hospital." I said as I left for the meeting.

 **Hi guys long time no see (not really but) I have started make a story about Hughes so if you want the full details of that then I recommend you go to that story if not you can still get the gist of what's going on with him. I figured keep this Ed's story and not Hughes story.**

 **See you guys next time in Central with Ed.**


	26. Goodbye Ling

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion**

We got off the train station to the busy crowd of Central then next day. I wish I could say that the ride went well after Lan Fan tried to stab me but it didn't. We started walking to the main exit, Al's armour parted the crowd from us so the four of us were able to walk through with ease. When we got to the exit Ling pulled me aside so we were hiding from the crowd.

"Here's where I take my leave." He said holding both of my shoulders.

"Yeah, I would say that I hope you find what you're looking for but I really don't." I was looking right into his eyes, they reminded me of the Colonels eyes but the two were still different from each other. He chuckled at what I said.

"You of all people." He shook his head as he said that.

"What do you mean?" I asked. He smiled at me like he just told a joke and didn't get the punch line.

"You know when we meet I felt a real connection to you." He explained.

"It's probably because you thought I was your type." I countered

"I'm not sure what my type is any more." He was looking at me like he was studying my face. I felt a bit awkward and I didn't know what to say to that. When he leaned down and pulled me closer to him. Are noses were almost touching again.

"Is this a Xing thing? Because over in this country we prefer personal space." I told him but he didn't move didn't say anything to that he just brought his head closer and kissed me. My eyes shot open wide at that and I froze. I started to panic here we are in the middle of public where everyone can see the Fullmetal Alchemist kiss a man! The panic didn't last long and after a few half seconds I closed my eye and returned the kiss. To be honest I had no idea of what I was doing I've never kissed anyone before in my life. I felt his hand move to the small of my back to bring me closer to him. After a few seconds he broke off the kiss.

"Good luck with your research." he said instead of goodbye. He was a good ten feet away from me before I realized I should say something back.

"Try not to pass out here, I wont be able save your ass if you get in trouble." I called to him. He turned around and bowed to me then keep walking away getting lost in the crowed of people. As soon as he was out of my sights I started giggling and dancing on spot. This was the best day ever, I don't care about what happens for the rest of the day. I walked over to Al and Winston with probably the worlds biggest grin.

"What are you smiling about?" Winston asked.

"Oh uh Ling just wanted to say goodbye." I said

"So where are we heading?" Al asked.

"I was thinking that we for Central HQ, the Lt Colonel should be there by now." I said looking at the giant clock hanging on the wall.

"Sounds good." Al said and we started walking.

"Hey!" I heard a familiar voice yell. I turned around quickly to see who it was half hoping it was going to be Ling. It wasn't it was the girl Lan Fan and the old man.

"Where's the young Master?" She asked.

"We thought that he was with you." The old man said. They looked to each other and hung their heads low.

"He's missing again!" They cried together. I felt bad for them but I didn't wan to tell them were Ling was either, if he too off it must have been for a reason. I looked to Al and Winston.

"Let's go HQ isn't that far of a walk." And with that We left the two body guards behind.

It was about a twenty minute walk to Central HQ. It would have been less time but Winston decided to stop and yell at me for no reason.

'You're doing it again." He yelled.

"Doing what?" I asked A little annoyed that he kept saying that.

"Smiling." he said as if it was the answer to everything.

"Am I not allowed to smile or something?" I yelled at him. I started walking again.

"Ever since Ling left this morning you've been smiling." He caught up to me and kept my pace.  
"And that's a bad thing?" I felt my face get hot.

"Guys can you not argue people are starring." Alphonse tried to stop the fight but it didn't work.

"You like him don't you." Winston teased. I started walking a bit faster.

"Leave it alone Winston."

"It's to bad that you're not his type."

"Are you homophobic or something?" I turned to glare at him.

"Are you just mad because you don't have a shot with him?"

"NO! I'm mad because you're being an ass!" I yelled at him then took off running. I ducked between side streets and back alleys trying to loose Winston and Al and it worked.

I looked up to see where I was, Central headquarters. I took a deep breath and wiped my hands across my face when I looked at my gloves they were wet. _'Oh great that dick got me crying, and I don't even know why.'_ I tried to clean up most of he tears before I went in and saw anybody I knew.

"Edward?" I heard a female voice say. _'oh great what now?'_ "Ed are you okay?" I felt a hand grip my left arm an squeezed it tightly. I look up and saw Lieutenant Hawkeye looking back at me.

"What yeah I'm find Winston was just being a douche." I told her and she half smiled then she pulled me into a hug.

"It's okay men are stupid." She told me and started rubbing my back. I nodded into her shoulder. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah I should be fine, just needed to blow off some steam." I said that and she let go of me and stood up. "Wait what are you doing in Central?" I asked looking up at the female officer.

"oh we just got transferred a couple days ago."

"We?" I heard a car door open and close. I looked to see Mustang exit the car.

"Fullmetal what are you doing here?" He asked.

"Oh you know researching stuff on the philosopher stone and homunculus." I said. He raised his eye brow.

"Really, homunculus? Give me a break. How do you even expect to find information about that from the military that restricts human transmutation?' He asked. He began walking up the stairs of the headquarters.

"With a lot of luck." I dead panned. "Oh by the way I wanted to say to Colonel Hughes, how is he?" Mustang froze at the top of the stairs. Before he could answer I heard armour clunking down the streets.

"Ed!" I heard Winston yell "what the hell was that for you just took off." Hawkeye looked at me and raised an eyebrow, I just shook my head in response.

"So what about Hughes?" I asked Mustang once more.

"He's... He's in the hospital." Mustang said.

"What?! Is he okay?" I asked. I was a little panicked that he was hurt. "When did this happen?"

"He's doing better, and it happened the day you left for the South." He started walking back up the stairs. "Now if that's all I'm going to go sit in on an interview." And with that Mustang left us on the stairs to headquarters. I looked to Winston and he had his hands over his mouth.

"Come on let's go visit Hughes, the research can wait." I said walking to the hospital, I was going to see Hughes but I didn't know just how bad he was. ' _Pleas be okay Hughes.'_

 **Hey guys, um I know the argument between Winston and Ed is a bit awkward, but other then that can't really complain.**

 **See you next time in Central Hospital.**


	27. Ross did it

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

I walked up the the reception desk in the Central Military hospital. The building smelt of bleach and other cleaning supplies. I looked at the receptionist a grey haired woman probably in her fifties.

"Excuse me I'm looking for Lt. Colonel Hughes." I said to her making her look away from her work. She raised an eyebrow at our group.

"I'm going to need some form of identification." She said looking specifically at me and Al. What kind of a country is this that a girl pretending to be a boy and a giant suit of armour can't visit someone in a military hospital without showing id. I grabbed my pocket watch from my pants pocket and laid it on the table.

"State Alchemist Edward Elric." I said with a fake smile, the old lady at the desk looked at Winston and Alphonse. "And friends." I added. She gave me a look. "Honestly I'm Edward Elric!" I yelled. _'Great now I'm causing a scene at a hospital.'_

"I'm sorry I can't allow you in."

"Why is it because of the suit of armour? Or is it because you don't think I'm Edward Elric?" I yelled at her.

"Brother calm down it's okay." Al said trying to calm me down. I turned to Al.

"No it's not I was having a great day until Winston crapped on it now this old hag is making it worse!" People in the waiting room where starring at us.

"Listen if you're not going to calm down I'm going to have to call security." The receptionist stood up trying to threaten us.

"Oh bring them on I'd like to see what they got." I said back to her.

"Hey big guy, can you go somewhere without making a scene?" I looked to see where the voice was coming from. Walking down the hall I saw Breda coming towards us.

"Breda what are you doing here?"

"Visiting Hughes. You know you wouldn't have to show idea if you just bothered to wear your uniform."

"It's not really my style." I said. Breda nodded a took a sheet from the receptionist.

"This is Edward Elric, and he is with Colonel Mustang." Breda said while writing something on the sheet "From now on just let him through alright?" He put the paper and pen back down and started walking away. "You do want to see Hughes right?" He asked over his shoulder. I smirked at him, good old Breda.

It was a short walk to Hughes room Breda opened the door and stood beside waiting for us to enter.

"You're not going in?" I asked Breda.

"I'm guards duty chief although now that they have a suspect in custody I pretty sure I'll be relived soon." He responded.

"Who do they have in custody?" I asked, happy that they found Hughes attacker.

"2nd Lieutenant Ross." Breda reported. I was shocked frozen to the spot. There was no way Ross could have done this and when we were done here I was going to clear this up with the military. I went to walk into the room but Breda grabbed my jacket and pulled me back. "One more thing, don't ask Hughes if he remembers the night,"

"Why not isn't that the easiest way to see if Ross really did this?" I asked

"The problem is is that he doesn't remember, pretty much the whole night that it happened he remember none of it." Before I asked a question. "He has dissociation amnesia. He doesn't remember what happen because he doesn't want to remember what happen. He has all of the memories but he's buried them deep within his mind. It's one of the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He shows other signs, but please just don't ask about the attack." Breda asked. I looked to him and saw the seriousness in his eyes and I nodded. _'Okay great now I'm walking on egg shells in automail.'_ I thought. I walked into the room to see Hughes sitting up on his bed with his right arm in a sling. Elicia was sitting on his lap colouring in a book on the table hanging over the bed and Grecia was sitting besides the bed in a chair. Hughes had a half smile on his face looking down at Elicia. I didn't want to disturb the scene but when the door shut the two adults turned their heads to look at us.

"Ed!" Maes said with a smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Well last time I was in the hospital you visited me, I thought I should return the favour." I said walking further into the room, the window sill was covered in flowers and get well soon cards and what looks to be a picture of Armstrong shirtless.

"Um..." I said pointing to the picture. Hughes started to laugh.

"Armstrong brought it to encourage me to get better with a perfect example of human health." I laughed at that.

"Yup that sounds like Armstrong."

"Hi Ms Hughes how are you?" I heard Winston ask as he pulled up a chair to sit next to her. I walked up to the bed.

"Hi Elicia, I'm Edward I work with your dad." She looked up at me and smiled. "What are you drawing there?"

"Giraffe." I looked down to the coloured drawing that surprisingly looked like a giraffe.

"It's really good." Al said.

"Thank you." Elicia said to Al.

"So how long have you been in this wonderful place?" I asked Hughes.

"A little over two weeks." He said. I cringed at that. "Mustang has been keeping me on my feet for most of my stay."

"Mustang just got the transfer a few days ago." I said trying to make sense of this.

"But before that Roy showed up before I woke up for the first time." He told me.

"but how did he..."

"Apparently I called him right before I got shot." He said nodding his head.

"This must suck for you." I said trying to change the subject.

"What sucks?"

"You talk with your hands a lot and know you're down one hand." I gestured to his right arm.

"Yeah guess I have to make do with one hand for a while."

"At least you have both of your original limbs." I joked. We laughed for a bit. I caught him up on our adventures in the south.

"I'm sorry your teacher is ignoring you." Hughes said.

"She was looking for a way to disown me after I joined the military, I think the lying about my gender was her scapegoat." I said I looked up and the sun was already setting. "Crap man we have to go." I said standing up

"Um Okay, why?" Hughes asked.

"I have to save an innocent person from a crime they didn't do. Come on Al let's go" and with that Al and I ran out of the room, leaving Winston with the Hughes. We were running down the streets of central trying to get to HQ before it was too late. As the sun got lower less and less people were on the streets. We turned down a dark alley for a short cut when we ran into an armoured man. His helmet was a skull and his robe was fitted with fur, just behind him was 2nd Lt Ross.

"Ross!" I cried.

"Edelle!"

"Hey you are from that time!" Al and the armoured man yelled at the same time.

"You know each other?" I didn't believe him. I heard more running then looked over the armoured man again. "Ling? What the hell is going on here?"

"Prison break." He said with that smile. _'oh great I fell in love with a criminal.'_

"Ross run for it!" The armoured man said. I looked at her and she shrugged her shoulders and ran. I turned to run another way to cut her off before she could get to far but the man in the armour stopped us.

"Out of my way!"

"Sorry missy I have no time to play with you guys I'm on a strict schedule." I was about to charge the man when I saw a cloud of fire from a couple blocks away. _'That couldn't be good.'_

 **Hey guys don't expect a update tomorrow, long shift at work. But hopefully this is good enough until Sunday.**

 **See you next time with Edelle running into the Colonel. And like always feel free to comment or suggest.**


	28. I'm sorry

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

"Shit!" I yelled. I ran past the armoured man to the cloud of fire. I heard Al behind me. "Is Ling coming?" I asked while running.

"No he went with Barry." He told me while running. The streets were dark I was surprised that no one came out to see what the explosion was about.

"Al you need to make better friends." I joked. We came up to a cloud of smoke so I stopped. The cloud began to part and I saw Colonel Mustang standing on the other side of it. _'Of course this hot head is behind the explosion but why?'_

"Hello Fullmetal." He said from across the alley way, his voice was cold. The smoke fully cleared out and I saw a burnt corps on the ground with the standard prison bracelet.

"What's going on here?" I asked, trying not to gag on the smell. I put two and two together but I wanted to know for sure that I was right. He gave me a dead stair. I ran to him and grabbed his shirt. "You bastard! Explain yourself! I trusted you! And you killed her!." I started hitting his chest but his face remained unchanging. "I trusted you! Why did you kill her! Was it because she might have shot Hughes?!" I screamed at him. He slapped my face with enough force to knock me off of him.

"How dare you lay your hand on a higher rank. Behave yourself." He said as he fixed his jacket. I was crying due to pure anger, I stood up to hit him again but Al stopped me. I struggled against him until more military people arrived. One of the men asked for my report so I filled it out as well as I could. I followed Mustang to the morgue to make sure that it was 2nd Lt. Ross that he did kill, I hoped that it wasn't. We were waiting out side of the door when Armstrong walked up to us. I started crying again.

"It's my fault. I'm the one that git Hughes hurt, and if he wasn't looking for information about homunculus or the philosopher's stone he wouldn't have been hurt." Armstrong bent down to be at my height and hugged me, not in his bone crushing way but soft and gentle.

"It's not your fault."

"And if Hughes wasn't shot, Ross wouldn't have been a suspect and shot." I continued. "She's dead and it's all my fault." He pulled me in a little tighter and started rubbing soothing motions on my back. The door opened and he pulled away from me, I started wiping the tears from my eyes. The doctor stood at the door.

"Everyone here then?" He asked looking from solider to solider. "Since the injury is too sever I couldn't tell if she was dead before or after she was burnt." He reported.

"So is it possible that it wasn't her?" I asked with little hope.

"It was confirmed from dental test on the teeth that we found. How cruel torching a girl to death." At that I realized how dangerous my superior officer was. "You sure had a grudge against her huh? Ain't that right Mr. Mustang?" He asked. My eyes drifted to Mustang sitting down with his legs and arms crossed. "You couldn't have made it easier on us Doctors huh?"

"It's been a while since I used my flame, I over did it." His voice was still stone cold as before.

"Ishvalan war hero alright." He said as he walked away. Mustang stood to leave at that and Armstrong went to talk to him, I stayed to the sides so I could over hear them. I couldn't believe that he was apologizing for Ross, they had no real evidence against her. That's when I saw Armstrong break down, he threw himself down on the chair that Mustang was previously sitting on. Mustang squatted on the ground to be able to talk to him without talking down to the large Major.

"You seem quiet stressed Major, maybe you should take some vacation time. The eastern region that I was last at was a nice place, to as noisy as the city and there are a lot of chicks." And with that Mustang left. My anger grew he just killed a person and he's talking about hooking up with a girl. I kick the trash can beside me in a way to vent my anger, the soldiers around me jumped at the noise.

"Come on Al let's go back to the hotel and tell Winston the news." I said as I stormed out of the room.

When we got to the hotel room I knocked on Winston's door but there was no answer.

"He went out?" I was puzzled at that, who in Central would Winston want to see? I went to our door to unlock it but it was already unlock. "Shit Al did we forget to lock the door before we left?" I walked into the room to inspect if anything was missing. The room was the same way that we left it, a mess. Research papers cover almost any flat surface, my clothes were piled away nicely in the corner just how I left them. I went right to the desk and saw the newspaper missing.

"Was anything stolen?" Al asked still looking to see if there was anything stolen.

I looked in the immediate area for the newspaper and I couldn't find it.

"Dammit Winston." I walked out of the room, and back to the door right beside our room. I started pounding on the door. "Winston open up!" I yelled. I heard feet shuffling on the other side of the door, I waited beside the door then I heard a click and the door opened. Winston stood there he looked like shit, his face was red from tears and his clothes looked like he was trying to sleep in them.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, he sounded like a wounded puppy.

"I thought you over heard Breda at the hospital." I responded, the two of them where right behind me and Al defiantly heard him so why didn't Winston.

"I did, but I didn't know that it was her." He took a breath. "I talked to her once and I didn't even know her name." My eyebrows knit together, trying to figure out how to deal with this situation. "She didn't seem like a killer, she couldn't have done this we just have to ask her." He tried to get past me as if he was leaving to do what he just said. I blocked him and pushed him into his dark room, when I found the couch I pushed him down on it and sat besides him.

"We can't. Ross died earlier tonight." I said waiting for his reaction. He looked like a lost child his eyes were big and looked hurt.

"What happened?"

"She broke out of jail and there was an order to shoot on sit if she resisted, and Mustang found her and she resisted." I told him.

"So he shot her?"

"Burnt her." I gulped, my saliva tasted like ash in my mouth. Winston's eyes went from tears to anger in less then a second.

"That sick Bastard. Ed you still want to be in the army after he did something like that?"

"I don't really have a choice, I have to fix Al's body no matter what."  
"He's dangerous!" He said and I knew who he was talking about. "He killed someone Edelle because she injured his friend. That doesn't seem wrong to you in anyway?"

"It seems wrong to me in every way but I have to deal with it until I fix Al's body!" I hung my head low. "It's because I want to fix Al's body that he got injured in the first place. It's my fault that Hughes is injured and Ross is dead." Winston pulled me into a hug.

"Ed it's not your fault."

"Armstrong said the same thing, but I'm pretty sure that it is." I pressed my forehead into his collar bone.

"Maybe you should go and apologize if that will make you feel better." He suggested. I nodded not moving from the hug. "Or you could call him if you want to stay here." Winston made me stand and walked me down to the lobby. Winston went up to the front desk. "Hi I would like to make a call." He said to the man, he nodded and put the phone on the desk. Winston gave me a look to say that I was on my own now. I picked up the receiver and dialled the number for the hospital, the dial tone rang back at me for a few seconds before someone picked up the line.

"Central Military Hospital How can I help you?" I heard a lady ask on the other side of the line.

"Can I speak with Lt. Colonel Hughes?" I asked into the line

"Can I know who this is before I ask?"

"Tell them that it's Ed." I said I heard the phone get put on the table. I waited for the other line to get picked up.

"Hello?" I heard a woman ask from the other side of the line.

"Mrs Hughes? Is Mr Hughes there?" I asked

"I'm sorry Edward he's asleep right now what can I do for you." She sounded tiered herself, I looked to the clock to see that it was a little past 11 at night.

"I'm sorry for calling so late." I apologised "And I'm sorry for getting your husband shot. It was my fault that he was staying late researching something for me, and I knew that it was dangerous but I still asked him for his help. I'm sorry."

"My husband found something out, so as a warning they injure him to keep him and others from looking into the matter?" She asked me.

"Yes I think so." I told her. "It's my fault I dragged him into this and I just wanted to say that I was sorry. If people keep getting hurt I'm not sure if I want to continue into what I was doing "

"That sounds so much like him, getting hurt trying to help other people, he always tried to nose into other peoples business to try to help them out even at his own personal expense. If you give up now you'll make my husband's injury worth nothing, you have to keep trying no matter what the cost is, because if you give up you make the sacrifices people made for you worth nothing." Her voice turned serious at the end.

"Yes ma'me." I said while nodding. "Could you still tell Mr Hughes I'm sorry though?"

"I will now is there anything else?" She asked from the other end of the line.

"No I don't think so."

"Then Goodnight Edward."

"Good night Mrs Hughes." I said and hung up the line. I really didn't know what to believe, Ross asked me to trust her when I was in the hospital, but the fuhrer asked us not to trust anyone. Winston and I walked back upstairs in silence when we got to our respected doors we just looked at each other instead of saying anything. I went to sleep with nightmares chasing me the entire night.

 **Hey guys long time no see. Sorry about that and don't worry it shouldn't happen again (not for a while anyway). Hoped you liked it and feel free to comment and suggest things if you like**

 **See you next time in Central with Roy and on the way to Xerxes with Ed.**


	29. The Customer

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

 **POV ROY**

It was time to put the plan into effect. I wish it didn't have to be today, after 'torching Ross' last night I had dreams of Ishval that keep me awake for most of the night. Havoc was in position same as Hawkeye, Breda, Fuery. I made the call that Fuery was supposed to have hooked up to Hawkeye's head set.

"Hello Elizabeth!" I said way to cheery for how I was feeling. Some of the other subordinates that didn't transfer with me looked at me as if I were deranged, I ignored them and kept talking to Hawkeye. "How are you?"

"Why Mr Roy, thank you for always calling me. Are you calling from the office again?" Hawkeye asked also in a cheerful way that made her voice sound very feminine. Part of me wanted to break code and tell her of course I was in position but I keep the façade together.

"Yes I just had to her your voice."

"Oh aren't you smooth, but wouldn't your scary Lt be mad at you if you don't get back to work?"

"Don't worry. She's on her vacation right now." I watched the men leave the office glad that they were gone, now if there was a slip no one will be here to hear it. "I'm wondering how Edelle is, has Alexia taken her to meet Braidykins yet?" One great thing about Ed being a girl and no one knowing is that I didn't have to create a new code for her.

"Alexia should be arriving any minute now." Hawkeye confirmed.

"That's great!" I said with a smile.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV ED**

Winston was polishing Al's armour as I laid on my bed trying figure out what move to make next.

"Where are you guys going to go next?" He asked

"I'm not sure really." I responded trying to find a comfortable spot on the bed.

"You can't give up. I want you guys to fix your bodies, I really do, but I don't want you to get hurt." He said between wipes.

"Is it because you don't think a girl can handle herself in the big scary world?" I challenged him

"No I think anyone who is in your position would be in danger." He admitted. I smiled at that, I was about to say something when I heard a knock on the door.

"Don't bother moving I got it." I said as I stood up from the bed. I crossed the room avoiding the cleaning supplies that Winston laid out in the room. "Clean this up when your done." I told Winston as I made it to the door. My back was to him but I could swear I heard his smirk. I opened the door to see who it was and was greeted by a fist. I held up my automail arm to block the punch but the force still sent me flying back into the room. I looked up to see my attacker, it was Major Armstrong, he was wearing civilian clothes, _'they must be hand made to fit him.'_ I thought. "What the hell was that for Major!" I yelled at him, he came into the room walking to me. He picked me up by my jacket. _'He blames me for Ross's death and now he's going to kill me.'_ I prepared myself for the finishing hit and closed my eyes.

"Oh no this isn't good." He said. I felt my right sleeve get pulled up. "Your automail is broken!" He cried and I opened my eyes to look at the perfectly fine automail. _'maybe he's snapped.'_ "how terrible this is a grave problem we must have it fixed as soon as possible." He put me down and picked up my suitcase.

"Uh Major..." Al tried to say something.

"Not you young Elric you are conspicuous." I came back to me and grabbed my left arm and started dragging me to the door. "I shall escort you to Resembool."

"But Winston is right here!" I said as he dragged me out of the door.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV ROY**

"Is Kate there?" I asked still talking in code, the officers came back to continue their work.

"She is but she is very busy right now. Oh excuse me for a moment Mr Roy." I heard Hawkeye say. "Kate! We've got a customer." She reminded me of Madame Christmas the way that she said that.

"Yes ma'am." Fuery said in a high pitched voice making me almost laugh.

"Could you go get Jacqueline?" Hawkeye asked.

"Jacqueline we've got a customer." Fuery told Havoc

"Roger that." Havoc said and I could hear his gun cock. The noise increased on the other side I could hear Falman yelling at Havoc.

"Is Jacqueline and Vanessa having an argument?" I asked trying to paint the scene in my head.

"They are just fighting over who should deal with the customer." I heard a shot go off and by the sound of it, it came from Hawkeye.

"Is everything alright I heard a loud noise?" I asked

"The customer was getting a little handsy with Jacqueline, so I gave him a little slap." I heard her reload the gun.

"Harsh as usual , eh? Elizabeth?" I waited "Sounds like your store is getting busy shall we end this call?" I asked to see if the situation was under control.

"Don't worry about it." She told me "What about you? Don't you have a lot to do?" _'Yes Hawkeye I'm sitting still.'_

"No thanks to my amazing subordinates." I said letting her know that they were the ones doing all of the work. There was silence between the two of us. "Do you think Edelle is on her way now?"

"You know Alexia, she works fast, but she puts on to much of a show for my liking."

"Sometimes over kill is underrated." There was more silence. "What's going on?"

"A fight perhaps, looks like trouble with the customer."

"If only tasteless gangs wouldn't stay around so long." I complained to her.

"Really I don't like it one bit. I'm going to have to get back to you a guest of honour is here."

"What's wrong?" I heard gun shots "Elizabeth!" I stood up yelling into the phone. My breathing was ragged, it was Hughes all over again. I ran out of the office to my car. "Dammit please let me make it in time." I prayed as I drove through the empty city streets.

 **Two in one day to make up for the break between posts. Hope you like it. And for those wondering about why am I writing Roy's part and so on. It's because well 1 I changed some things that effect later chapters and I really encourage you to check out the other story but for those of you who don't want to basically Lust is Hughes nurse in the hospital. So that will be mentioned in the next few chapters.**

 **See you next time in the continuation of Roy and Ed's story I'll be starting in Al's pov so see you then.**


	30. 3rd Laboratory

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

 **POV AL**

Winston and I were waiting in the hotel room for sister to come back from wherever Armstrong took her to.

"I wonder how long she's going to be?" Winston asked and I looked down to him. I was about to answer when I heard something drop to the floor, it wasn't heavy and it sounded graceful like a cat landing on something.

"Edelle isn't here?" I heard an man ask. I turned to the voice and saw Ling sitting on the window sill.

"What do you want with Ed now?" Winston snapped at the teenager. It was funny two boys were fighting about sister and she wasn't even here to see it.

"I looked everywhere for you two and it turns out you are just in a regular hotel, not very exiting." Ling continued looking out of the window. "I heard from Barry the Chopper that you guys are interesting."

"Speaking of him why where you even in jail should your guards have been protecting you?" I asked the Xingese boy.

"Lan Fan is currently with your army buddies and Barry and Old man Fu is meeting your sister and whats-his-name, the tall blonde one, to Xerxes to show them that Ross is alive." He said casually.

"What she's alive?!" Winston and I asked at the same time.

"Yup she's going to seek refugee in Xing, I mean with the way she looks she wont turn to many heads."

"So that's why the major took her." I said just stating the obvious. "How come I wasn't told about this." Ling's attention wasn't on me it was on the sky outside.

"Uh-oh it's started." He said "You want to come?" He asked looking at me.

"I might be able to find out who actually shot Hughes, I'm with you." I went to the window, Ling jump out onto the roof beside our building.

"tell me about it when you get back." Winston said.

"I will." and with that I somehow managed to fit my armour through the window.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV ROY**

I reached the bottom of the bell tower. I ran to the stairs taking them two at a time sliding my gloves on as I ran. After about three stories I began to lose my speed every time I reached a corner I pushed myself off the mildew covered stone walls to give me an extra boost. To think I used to do runs like this in the academy all the time to keep in shape. I could hear the firing of the shots getting louder I was almost there. I saw the doorway when I heard the bullets stop and the enemy say.

"No more bullets?" He had a child like voice which was disturbing. "Okay then bon appetit." I got to the doorway and snapped my fingers at the fat blob. The alchemy was hastily done but it served it's purpose of launching the attacker out of the window. As I saw it fly out of I bent down and put my hands on my knees trying to catch my breath. I wasn't listening to Hawkeye lecture me I was trying to keep my lungs from exploding.

"Yes... I know... I'm a moron..." I said between breaths.

"Colonel the target is making an escape." Fuery reported. _'Run back to your nest.'_ I smiled at that.

"Sergeant withdraw now! Leave nothing that can indicate us being here." I ordered "1st Lieutenant with me." I started walking back down those stairs I climb seconds before. "What was Hayate doing here?" I asked on the way down.

"He was guarding Fuery sir." She reported.

"Man I love dogs." I smiled. Walking down the stairs was much easier then climbing them. "I'm glad you're alive." I said

"Sorry I worried you." I could almost her the smirk in her voice. When we reaching the ground I climbed into the left side of the car to sit in the drivers seat. Falman and Havoc were waiting for us. "How's the target?" I asked as I started the engine.

"Barry is chasing it. You better hurry."

"Falman say you were kidnapped by the prison attacker, pretend to be the victim." I ordered "Ready Lt?" I checked the review mirror to see a suit of armour trying to catch up to the car.

"Colonel wait." I heard Havoc climb into the back seat.

"What is it Alphonse?" I asked putting up the cold Colonel front.

"Does this have to deal with Mr Hughes attack?"

"Get in" I merely said answering his question. He climbed in pushing Havoc closer to the door. I threw the car into drive and slammed on to the gas. "Hold on everyone." I smiled as the vehicle moved faster. We soon caught up to Barry. I leaned out of the window the wind blowing my bangs out of my face. "Don't lose him Barry!"

"Like hell I would." I looked down to the speedometer to see that I was well over the speed limit, I wondered if Al could run that fast. I looked to the passengers. Riza was reloading her gun but I could see that she was braced against the seat and the door. Havoc was holding his gun as a lifeline and his eyes were shut. Al was holding himself so he wouldn't crush Havoc against the frame. I looked back to the road, there were few civilians and when they saw the car they moved out of the way.

"It's heading to the centre of the city." Riza said.

"I can see that." I said making a quick last second turn. Cars honked at me making me laugh.

"Maybe you should slow down sir." Havoc whimpered from the back.

"Right probably not the best idea to draw attention to ourselves." I dropped down to the limit. "Is that better 2n Lieutenant?" I asked rhetorically. My eyes were off the road for a second to long.

"Watch out sir!" Hawkeye scream as I hit Barry with the side of the car. I turned the wheel back. So it was the car was back in it's lane.

"Sorry Barry!" I yelled to him.

"So what about that guy with the long hair eh?" Havoc said trying to keep his mind off of my driving.

"He had an ouroboros tattoo, I saw him at the 5th laboratory, I think his name is Envy." Al said. "He was the guy that dragged Ed out of the building before it collapsed."

"What do you mean dragged Ed out? Why didn't she walk out on her own?" I demanded

"She was out cold. It was the reason why we went to the hospital."

"Wait, she was hurt enough to be sent to the hospital and I didn't know about it." I hit the steering wheel.

"Turn right sir." Riza said that and I made a hard right not watching for cars. "Let's focuses on the subject at hand sir." She suggested.

"Right okay Al continue."

"When we where in the south I met someone called Greed who was a lot like Envy. Sir they are homunculi."

"Al sell that horse shit somewhere else I'm not buying it."

"Greed said he was one, and I saw him get his head knocked off of his shoulders and it grew back. Envy changed form from human to dog he also changed his appearance. And Lan Fan couldn't kill him. You have to believe me sir."

"We do." Hawkeye answered. "That big man from earlier must have been one too. None of my shots even slowed him down." She clipped her gun into her holster. I couldn't believe this, homunculi where things that alchemist talked about but they weren't real, or were they? It was dark know and harder to see Barry or the target. I almost drove past Barry but he was stopped in front of the 3rd laboratory. I slammed on the brakes and threw the car into park just as quickly. The vehicle lurched forward but it didn't move from it's spot. Havoc clawed at the door and fell to the ground once it opened.

"Yeah and the cigarettes are gonna kill me." He let go of a shaky laugh.

"Your alive aren't you?" I asked moving to meet Barry. "Are you sure this is it?" I asked the murderer

"Yes this is it." I turned my back to him

"Great we have their hideout, let's head back to base and regroup." I told the other three soldiers. Barry didn't agree with that plan and he charged the building.

"Damn that idiot." Havoc cursed. _'now we have a reason to get inside the building.'_

"How convenient." I smiled walking to the front door. I looked back to my men who weren't moving. "Are you coming or not?" I asked. Barry caused enough of a scene that we went by unnoticed. I pulled out my gun with my men flanking me. I shot my gun into the celling. "A wanted killer has entered the building I want everyone to evacuate!" I yelled. That caught their attention. The guards tried to follow us. "Stand down, this is a specialized team trained for this and besides I have back up on the way" I lied. "Go protect the civilians." I ordered the guard he saluted and helped the evacuation. I lead the group to the basement where a door was chained off. Al clapped his hand and the chain broke with alchemy. _He's like Ed, but why hasn't he used it before now?'_ Hawkeye took her point in the group walking down first weapons ready. We got down to a dark corridor that split in two. "Havoc with me." I said giving Hawkeye to Al so he had my usual protection, I knew Edelle would kill me if I hurt her little brother. "Split up. Don't go to far meet back here once you've gathered reasonable amounts of information." Hawkeye gave her friendly smile to Al and started cheerily talking to the young boy.

"This way Colonel." I heard Havoc call from our respected hallway. The farther we got any from the fork in the tunnel the more dense the air got. It felt damp too, no in a way that would disable my alchemy but enough to make it eerie. All the doors were locked but one of the wooden doors I tried was rotten and it broke to pieces as I grabbed the handle. We walked into the room that looked like a tornado has hit it. Broken glass and wood, a book case was knocked over and pipes were hanging from the walls and celling.

"It looks abandoned." Havoc said. I looked down and kicked a broken beaker I found at my feet.

"It's a broken lab room." I clarify. There was a make shift operating table in the middle of the room and other medical equipment broken throughout the room. "I doubt they did anything ethical in here." I could almost hear the screams that this room must have caused. I heard a familiar voice come from the door.

"Those boys failed to kill you and allowed you to enter this room." I turned to see Maes nurse Solaris. I held my gun pointed at her "I guess you shouldn't send a man to do a woman's job." She leaned against the door way. The dress she was wearing was different from her nurses one, this one hugged her curves and showed off her breast. Havoc turned about to shoot but he froze. I looked at him with sympathy, poor guy was going to have to shoot his girlfriend. "Hi Jean, so you stood me up to come here instead? You missed out on a fun evening." She walked into the room heels clicking with each step. I caught myself starring at her chest, there was an ouroboros tattoo right above her boobs.

"Nice tattoo nurse, Havoc I know you don't have to tell me everything about your personal life but you could have mentioned that." I gestured with the gun.

"First time I've seen it." Havoc tried to stay cool but I could tell he was dying on the inside.

"I'm sorry I lied to you Jean but I only wanted information. Your Colonel didn't let any slip, and poor Maes Hughes remembers nothing of the night when I attacked him so I didn't even think I should bother with him. You seemed like the perfect candidate." She held her ground, I tried not to kill her on spot for admitting she attacked Hughes.

"I'm sorry work and private life are different things, even the Colonel knows almost nothing about my home life." He said. I re-gripped the gun adjusting my hold on it.

"I can see why you feel for her." I said, talking about her breast.

"I don't see why you didn't" Havoc retorted.

"Promised a friend he could hook me up with a lady of his choice." I looked right at Solaris. "So you are the one who attacked Hughes it explains so much."

"My only regret is losing him after he got away from me. I would have loved to finish him off." I shot her in knee. I had what I needed to know.

"On your knees. I want you to tell me everything you know." I aimed the gun at her head.

"I'm not going to kneel for a man like you." She stood back up and her legged healed in seconds. I shot her again this time in her chest. She tumbled back. "I love how merciless you are."

"No she can't be" Jean said still not grasping the situation.

"Oh Jean, why don't I catch you up to speed." Her fingers grew into sharp talons and she slit her chest right between her breast. "Can you see it, the philosopher's stone. The legendary item that amplifies an alchemists powers. Humans with a philosopher's stone as their nucleus, that's us." Her skin healed back together.

"Freak." I said and shot her one more time. It did in theory no damage to her.

"How rude, we look like humans, we can feel like humans, we are humans." She was telling us too much to let us out of here alive.

"You don't intend to let us out of here alive do you?" I asked.

"Unfortunately yes," She swung to attack us and I had to push Havoc out of the way.

"Havoc this is a matter of life and death forget about her." I ordered.

"My luck with girls eh?" he asked I was about to fire my gun again when she cut it in half with her claws. I dodged her next attack and slipped my gloves on. I was about to snap when she cut one of the pipes that was low hanging above us.

"To late." I was drenched with water. She was about to attack again when I signalled for retreat. I jumped over the table and Havoc slide under it. We both made it out the door at the same time. We both hid on a side of the door way. I re arranged my gloves.

"What are we going to do?"

"Am I that underrated?" He looked at me confused. "Lots of water means lots of hydrogen in an enclosed area. Inflammable gas and I can transmute as much as I want." Havoc caught on and pulled out his lighter. I touched the water with my glove and nodded to Havoc. He tossed it into the room and I pulled my hand out a second before flames came pouring out of the door.

"How did you." He said picking up his lighter.

"This is my filed." I said walking into the room. I could hear Havoc try to light his lighter but it only sparked.

"Do you think she burnt to death?" We surveyed the room, flash backs from Ishval edging their way to the front of my mind.

"No she was blown to pieces." I licked my lips after I said that.

"How can you tell."

"Lick your lips if they are greasy the means she burnt to death because the lipids in her body burnt into the air."

"Nice Colonel."

"Stay on guard we don't know how good their regenerative abilities are." As if on cue two claws came out of the ground and screwed Havoc. "Havoc!" I screamed.

 **I still feel really bad about on being able to post last weekend so I'm trying to pump these out asap. Sorry no Ed in this chapter by hey Mustang and other crucial story events. And a little self insertion with Mustangs driving style, I wanted to have some part of me present in this story, so Mustang drives like I do.**

 **See you next chapter with the Roy and Lust, hopefully they will be some Ed who knows. Feel free to comment and suggest.**


	31. To Xerxes

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

 **POV ROY**

"Havoc!" I screamed. I followed the claws that impaled my subordinate. Lust reformed right before my eyes layers upon layers of her body repairing herself. She yanked her claws out of Havoc and he dropped to the ground. I ran to him trying my best to stop the blood from pouring out of his body.

"It's hopeless, he won't survive." Lust said fully repaired. In a moment of rage I grabbed Havocs gun and shot her right were she showed us were her philosophers stone was. "It's no use, there's still a long way before I die." She said as she fell to the floor.

"You're wrong there is a way to save him." I said as I stood on her arms pinning her to the ground. The body around the stone was still re-healing. "It's right here." I saw her eyes light up with fear. I took a deep breath and plunged my hand into her chest and pulled the stone out with on fluid motion. She screamed when I pulled it out but once it was out of her body she began to turn to dust.

"Havoc hold on okay, I'm no expert but I think I can do this." I held the stone out and felt my glove become damp, I looked at it to see Lust reforming around my hand. Every single part of me wanted to puke, but I knew it wasn't the time.

"Isn't rude to stick your hand between a ladies breasts?" She asked after her head reformed. I let go of the stone trying to get distance between us but she grabbed my wrist, I was certain she could break my wrist if she wanted to. I felt something cold and sudden past through my side and it put me into pain. My muscle involuntary flexed, I looked down to see two of her fingers pierce my side. My breath became labour, but even with my little knowledge of the human anatomy I knew she didn't puncher one of my lungs. I didn't know how much she was holding me up until she removed her nails, then I instantly dropped to the floor my arm almost got pulled out of it's socket because the homunculus didn't let go of my wrist. "Please understand I didn't want to kill a sacrifice like you but you left me no choices, you've gotten yourself in to deeply." I could feel her remove my glove fazing between focused and unfocused. I clearly hear the glove rip before she dropped me onto the ground. "Now I have to go take care of your friends." I tried to force myself up, I got onto my hands and knees before she kicked me in the stab wound knocking me back down. "Have fun watching Jean die, I'll be back shortly." I heard her walk out of the room in her heels.

"Havoc!" I tried to yell but it came out more as a croak. "You can't die before me I won't allow it." I crawled over to the wall and used it to prop myself up "Think dammit think." I hit the floor with my fist and it landed on a shard of glass cutting my skin open. "Have to stop the bleeding. I don't know what possessed me to do this but I grabbed that shard of glass and cut on the back of my hand the transmutation circle that used to be on my glove. Once I was done I grabbed Havocs lighter from his cold hands. _'please don't be dead.'_ "Here goes nothing Havoc." I undid my jacket and shirt to fully see the wound. After it was out I increased the air around my wound and the hydrogen left from the explosion and flick the lighter in worked, but a little to well. I wasn't lying the other day when I said that I was out of practice. I extinguished the flame after a few seconds, my side bunt more after that then after she stabbed me. I waited trying to keep my lunch down but that didn't work, the smell on top of the pain made me hurl. With that I lifted myself up and with the coordination of a drunk person I walked over to Havoc. "This is going to hurt a bit but I'll try to make it quick." I put more thought into this transmutation and quickly sealed his wound. The only reason I knew he was alive was due to the pained gasp I hear once the flames started. "I'll be back Havoc, but right now I have to go take care of your girlfriend." I stood up not even realizing that I knelt down to being with. I walked over to the door quickly falling out of the room. I stood up against the wall and leaned on my left uninjured side. I dragged myself through the hallway trying to find Hawkeye and Al. I started to question if I was ever going to find them when I heard a faint yell, it sounded like Hawkeye, I quickened my pace trying to get to her before Lust killed her. The gun shots were getting louder with every step I took. I saw and open doorway with white light pouring out of it. I chuckled at the fact that I was heading towards the light. I could faintly hear the Lt cry, I held the lighter tighter in my hand and walked to the door frame hearing the sound of metal on metal. I stepped into the room to see Hawkeye on her knees and Al protecting her. Lust's back was too me and Al was yelling at Hawkeye to go.

"...Die before my eyes." He said

"Well said Alphonse." I tried to sound like I was fine, it worked in a way. Al quickly clapped his hands and Lust turned to face me. I flicked the lighter holding my side. The flames engulfed Lust and she dropped to her knees. "I thought you said you would never kneel for a man like me." I joked. She looked up to me and I flicked the lighter again, and again and again. "You said you had a long way to go before you died. In that case I'll have to keep killing you then. I kept lighting the lighter repetitively giving her no time in between attacks to counter my moves. I didn't even blink when I saw her nail grow in my direction, I held my ground and flicked the lighter on one last time. She turned to dust as she did before but this time I knew she was dead. I dropped to the ground with no more energy to hold me up, Of course I had to land on my burns causing me to gag at the pain. I felt some one turn me over onto my back I opened my eyes to see Al and Hawkeye looking down at me.

"Sir are you alright?" Hawkeye asked hands at my throat, probably checking for a pulse.

"Alphonse I would like to thank you for looking after my Lt." I told the small child in the adult sized armour.

"Forget about it, we should get an ambulance." Al said panicked

"Yes, Havoc needs help." That was the last thing I said before I lost conciousness.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV Ed**

We got off the trains station at the Resembool station Armstrong still tailing me.

"You know the least you could do is tell me why we're really here." I told Armstrong

"We are here to fix your automail." He responded

"You've said that already." I was getting tried of the same answer getting repeated over and over again. I walked of the station following the main road to get to Granny's place. Armstrong stopped beside a phone both. "You want to make a call you can't you just wait until we get to Pinako's?" I wined in my girl voice I never used around people. Armstrong looked down to me and shushed me. I shut up and listened to the man in the phone booth.

"Yes Elizabeth, Alexia and Edelle just got here, give my best to Jacqueline and tell Mr. Roy to get better soon." I knew that voice. I looked into the phone booth and saw that the man inside was Breda. _'Oh god her heard me, he knows my name! That Bastard Colonel told him. Wait think this through, Havoc! Those two are always with each other he had to have told Breda. When I get back to Central he's a dead man.'_ Breda stepped out of the booth. "Hey boss. Major." He greeted both of us. _'wait he was cool with it?'_

"Breda why did you call me Edelle?" I asked

"It's code that the Colonel put together."

"And my name is Edelle in it?" _'Way to be unoriginal.'_

"Yes it is. So Edward how was the train ride?" We started walking through the quiet town that was a five minute walk to Granny's great we were almost there.

"Train ride wasn't bad." I said matching his stride. "The kidnapping could have used some work." I jabbed at Armstrong. "So you here to watch me fix my unbroken automail?" I asked

"I here for a drink. Care to join me?" He asked walking to the front door of a bar. I was about to tell him that I was about three years under aged when Armstrong grabbed my shoulders.

"Of course we would love to join you." He said pushing me into the bar before he ducked in after us. The bar was empty and giving that it was a Monday morning I didn't blame it. There were two Xingese men sitting at a tabled talking passing a bottle back and forth between the two of them. Breda walked up to the two men and sat down.

Armstrong did the same leaving me to stand.

"Ed this is Mr Han, and I believe you already know Mr Fu." He said gesturing between the two men. At Mr Fu I looked to see if Ling was here.

"The young lord isn't here." He told me.

"I know that." I lied lowering my head to look at the wooden floors.

"So you are aware of our plan to leave the country?" Mr. Han asked.

"I don't have a passport." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Passports would leave traces of us." Breda said.

"You mean were smu-" Armstrong's hand cut me off before I could finish the word. I looked at the four men sitting at the table. _'This better be worth it.'_ I lowered Armstrong's hand and smiled. "Let's do this, were to?" I asked. Breda gave me a wicked smile

"To the east."

 **Hi guys here's the post of the day. Sorry for so much Mustang and not a lot of Ed but that's going to be flipped soon so quit your bitching.**

 **See you next time in Central Hospital with Al and on the way to Xerxes with Ed. Feel free to comment and suggest, see you guys later.**


	32. Ross Lives

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

 **POV AL**

I like to think that Winston believed me that the fight wasn't that bad, but my arm fell off right in front of him ruining the idea that I was okay. He helped me tie fabric over the exposed holes so no one could see that I was empty inside. It was a battle in it's own convincing Winston to let me go to the hospital to visit the Colonel and Havoc. I wore him down enough to let me go with a warning that Edelle was going to kill him if I got hurt. On the walk to the hospital I ran into Fuery.

"Alphonse!" He called out running to meet me.

"Sergeant Fuery." We walked beside each other talking about trivial things.

"You know I'm not really sure who I should be visiting, you or the Colonel and the 2nd Lieutenant." He joked.

"It's really obvious isn't it?" I was worried to many people would start to question about the armour.

"And a seven foot suit of armour isn't?" Fuery retorted. We walked into the hospital Fuery going to the front desk right away. "Hi Janet, how are the kids?" She smiled at him.

"They are fine Sergeant, are you here to see Hughes because he was just released yesterday." Janet, the receptionist said. "We are actually here to see Colonel Mustang and 2nd Lieutenant Havoc." The tiny receptionist stood leaning over the desk.

"Go down that hallway and turn right, they'll be in the first door on the left." She pointed out the direction.

"Thanks." He nodded and we walked in the direction she told us to. When we got to the door we heard no noise so Fuery opened it as quietly as he could. He leaned and pulled his head out quickly, "They are in there, the Colonels still asleep, Havoc is awake and Hughes and Hawkeye are visiting." He reported. He then opened the door again and walked into the room I followed him trying to be as quiet as I could. Hughes lifted his head up and smiled at me.

"Hey Alphonse, Havoc and Hawkeye here were just telling me about last night, sorry I missed all of the fun." Hughes said holding his left hand to shake. "What's with losing right arms eh?" He asked holding his sling away from his body to show me. There was a silence in the room after that, the Colonel mummer something in his sleep and tried to turn onto his right side he gasped in his sleep and rolled back over onto his back.

"He's been sleeping all morning." Hawkeye said. I looked to the clock to see that it was only eight in the morning.

"He had a tough night last night let him." Hughes countered.

"What about me, last night wasn't exactly a walk in the park." Havoc complained from the bed beside the Colonels. I looked to Hawkeye she had a scowl on her face that reminded me of sister.

"Homunculus...Hughes...Riza." Roy actually said words this time.

"Yeah speaking of that, your nurse Solaris is a homunculus and she told us last night that she was one of the people who attacked you." Havoc said from his bed.

"I don't want to talk about it Havoc, but thanks anyway." Hughes narrowed his eyebrows like he was trying to remember something but couldn't.

"Alphonse I just wanted to thank you for last night, I wasn't myself and you saved my life."

"You are just like brother Lieutenant, you're there for everyone else and you were willing to give your life for me, I couldn't stand by and watch you die." It's true what I said the Lieutenant and Ed are very similar, when I think about it last night reminded me of when Scar attacked us and Ed was willing to sacrifice herself in order to save me.

"You idiot." We all weren't expecting that, our five heads turned to the Colonel who was still in his bed glaring at his 1st Lieutenant. "How can you believe what the enemy said, did it occur to you that she might have been lying to you. You can give up just because you think that I'm dead." He paused and grabbed his right side. He was about to start again when Hughes cut him off.

"Give her some slack Roy." Maes was glaring at his best friend. Hawkeye had her head hung low waiting for the Colonel to continue with his scolding.

"I still trust you just don't do anything stupid like that again." He finished on a softer note. I felt like I was invading a private conversation so I looked away to appear that I wasn't listening.

"Oh you would know about doing something stupid wouldn't you Colonel." Havoc said.

"Shut up!" Mustang yelled. For someone who was asleep a moment ago he was completely awake now. I looked up to Hughes to see that he was laughing as quietly as he could. "Is that anyway to talk to the man who saved your life?" he asked as he moved to sit on the edged of his bed. I started to laugh to, he was almost as funny as Edelle when he yelled for no good reason.

"You couldn't have been a little more careful, I know these burn marks are going to chase girls away like crazy." Havoc complained.

"Next time I'll try not to cook you as much, just be luck I did you second or else you would have been burnt just as badly as I am." Mustang snapped at him

"No one is talking about who's burnt worse." Havoc yelled.

"Should I got get the nurse to calm everybody down?" Hughes stood up leaning to the door.

"Don't even think about it Maes." The Colonel threatened

"I think you owe me for when I was in the hospital." Hughes countered. Hawkeye walked over to beside me so she could have full view of the door.

"I don't understand, we know she wasn't working alone so why haven't they made a move to finish any one of them off?" She asked herself aloud trying to figure out the puzzle.

"Maybe because of what happened. Lust called the Colonel a sacrifice so I doubt that they are going to kill him no matter how much he knows." I started and she nodded. "The Lieutenant Colonel doesn't remember the night of the attack right?" I asked and she nodded again. "So finishing him off would be pointless. And Havoc..." I was trying to figure out why they haven't tried to take care of Havoc yet.

"His injury." Hawkeye said I looked at her and her eyes held something that looked like a combination of sorrow and anger. "He isn't moving his legs, which probably means that he can't. Even with what he knows he is no longer a threat to them." I looked to the 2nd Lieutenant's legs and she was right they weren't even twitching.

"The only real logic behind them not finishing them off is that someone higher up in their ranks decided against it." I said. I looked back at the other four adults who were looking at a map of the city.

"Fuery watch the door." Hawkeye order and moved to the map. Fuery left the room and I went to stand besides Hughes. Hawkeye grabbed a pen and made a circle around the 3rd laboratory. "Judging by the footsteps that I counted from the entrance to the giant doors that Alphonse and I saw I was able to come up with this circle with the lab at it's centre." I looked at the circle and the 2nd laboratory was in that circle as well as the Fuhrer's office.

"Could there be a connection between Bradley and the homunculi?" Roy asked. Hughes stood up went he said that.

"This is pretty deep what we are stepping in and one attempt on my life is enough for now."

"Are you pulling out Maes?" The Colonel asked

"No I'm not, just tell me what I need to know when I need to know it. And remember what I said" Hughes was about to leave the door when he stopped and leaned back into the room. "Do you want me to get you a night light?"

"I'm not going to be here that long to need it." Roy called back, and Hughes shut the door laughing. I looked back to the Colonel who was staring at the map with great concentration on his face.

"I'll come back later then." I told Hawkeye and she nodded.

"Thank you again Alphonse." Hawkeye smiled at me, I wished I could return the smile. As I left the room Fuery came with me, we talked again about trivial things that meant nothing really, he was a really nice guy. I said goodbye quickly though because Winston would be getting worried soon if I was gone for much longer.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV Ed**

I felt sweat rolling down my face. Even wearing a tanned jacket that covered all of my black clothes I could still feel my automail heating up.

"It's not that hot." Armstrong said his horse looking the way I felt.

"You don't have metal limbs." I countered, I felt like you could see the heat rolling off of me.

"Are we almost there?" Breda asked probably sick of my whining

"No but we have crossed the boarder." Mr. Han said. _'Great we crossed the boarder.'_ I thought sarcasm steaming out of me in the heat.

"Edward you think you can handle another hour?" Breda asked.

"Yeah sure I'm fine, I'm going to get heat stroke but I'm fine." Mr. Han laughed at that. "Armstrong next time you kidnap somebody and they have automail don't take them to the desert. And why did you have to kidnap me? Is kidnapping a trait passed down from Armstrong to Armstrong?" I bitched at him, I was so sick of this heat I just had to get my anger out.

"Here big guy, before you say something you are going to regret." Breda handed me his water jug. I opened it and took a big sip, the water was almost warmer then the air. I started to cough and handed it back to him.

"What the hell was that?"

"Warm water is better for you when you are hot." Breda informed me. I wiped the sweat from my brow and sighed. This was going to be a long hour.

By the time that we got there it was well into the afternoon. The ruins were beautiful and I could only think of the _Tale of the Sage of the East Desert_ the fairytale about Alchemy. There were two pools of water besides a giant knocked over pillar that created shade. Mr. Han lead the horses to one of the pools while Bread and Armstrong took off their shirts to get into the pool. As Breda sunk down into the pool he sighed.

"How do you keep the water cool?" He asked Mr. Han.

"It's not but compared to the air I guess it is." The smuggler replied. Breda was looking at me trying to figure out why I didn't jump into the water right away. With that I took off my black jacket and rolled up my pant legs to just above my knees. I was happy today I didn't wear my black leather pants and wore just regular black pants instead. I walked over and sat on the edge of the pool and put my feet in.

"Come on Chief, I thought you said you were dying of the heat." He was looking at me eyes searching for something wrong with me.

"I cracked ribs a while back and the bruising is still there." I lied. Breda raised his eyebrow, showing me that he didn't believe me. I looked to Armstrong for help in explaining why I couldn't take off my top. His eyes widened at me and realized what was wrong.

"Young Edward is, self conscious about his body." He lied trying to help the situation. _'great give me a complex, I'm not self conscious about my body just the automail, and way to make me sound like a girl.'_ I thought angrily in my head. _'maybe I should get into the water it cool me down. Who cares if Breda will find out.'_ I wasn't paying attention for one second too long. Breda grabbed my left wrist and pulled me into the water. It hit me like a wall. I broke the water gasping and throwing my arms trying to grab something to haul me out of the water.

"Edward calm down just stand up the water isn't that deep." Breda laughed at me. I stood up and the water came to just above my waist. Oh

"Okay, I might have over exaggerated." I said I walked to the edge of the pool to get out. Breda stood up.

"What's wrong Ed?" Breda's face was concerned. "What are you hiding from us?" I licked my lips and looked down.

"Please don't freak out." I grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled it over my head showing the wrapping around my chest. I pulled on the elastic holding my hair out and I undid the band around my chest to show my bra. After a few seconds I looked up.

"Now I know were the Colonel got his code name for you." He said.

"You're not mad?" I asked.

"I didn't say that." I looked back down to the water, I expected this and now it happened. I got out of the water and sat on the edge with my back to the pool. Mr Han and Fu looked at the scene. Mr Fu walked up to me.

"So you are like Lan Fan." He said sitting down beside me. I ignored him at first but then answered.

"Yeah I guess." I brushed sand off of the edge of the pool. "Why are we even out here?" I whined.

"Have you ever heard of the Sage of the West?" He asked ignoring my question.

"No but I've heard of the Sage of the Eastern Desert. Why does it matter."

"The sage from the west taught the people of Xing alkahestry."

"The sage of the East taught the people of Amestris Alchemy. But what does that have to do with Xerxes."

"It's legend that the sage comes from here." Mr Fu stood up and walked into what would have been an old temple. I pulled on my jacket and followed him in. I saw on one of the tallest standing walls a broken but still detailed. I froze trying to memorize the symbols on it. "What are you doing this way." Fu called again.

"Should we really be going this far in? The others might worry about... Never mind." I shook my head and caught up to him.

"Keep close to me it's dangerous for a woman to be alone in this area." I looked down watching my footing. Mr Fu at first seemed okay with the idea that I was really a girl and then he said that. _'Maybe that's how everyone feels but they are too afraid to say anything.'_

"Edelle?" I heard a woman ask. I lifted my head and searched for the noise. I found Maria Ross standing on some rocks right in front of us.

"That bastard." Is the only thing I could think of saying. The three of us walked back to the group Ross telling me on how the Colonel only fake her death. When we got back Breda was dressed and ready to leave and Armstrong was in the process of getting dressed. I walked over to my shirt that was now dried. I quickly wrapped my chest back up then but the shirt and the jacket back on. Armstrong saw Ross and tried to hug her and she dodged his every attempt.

"You know it would be easier for you just to tell everyone that you are a girl."

"And get arrested for lying to the military? No thanks I have things to do and once I'm done you won't have to see me any more." I said braiding my hair back up and slipped on my right glove. I looked at Ross and Armstrong. "So the Colonel knew all along?" I asked.

"No but when you looks at the events of her arrest, it was too much of a show. So the Colonel made an arrangement with Barry to break her out and Barry made an arrangement with Ling and that's why we are here." I nodded

"If I didn't see it I wouldn't believe it." I told him.

"That's why you are here." I looked up to the ginger haired man. "The Colonel knew you wouldn't believe that she was alive unless you saw her. He also said that he didn't want to chance the mission on a hot headed kid." I was about to yell at Breda but I decided not to.

"Remind me to yell at the Colonel when we get back."

"Sure right after I tell him you are a girl." I scoffed at him.

"Hate to break it to you but he already knows." I told him walking over to Armstrong and Ross. "So does Havoc and Hawkeye!" Armstrong looked at me.

"So now that you know the truth Edelle what are you going to do?" The strong armed alchemist asked. I heard Breda walk up behind me.

"Al and I committed a taboo. We still have people that help us, people that hate us and people who support us in silence. Each one of them has helped me keep my promise to my brother. I have no choice I have to keep moving forward and protect everyone that I can along the way. I'm not going to let another person become a victim, not while I'm alive." I gripped my automail wrist, a constant reminder of what I did to my brother. "I know that it sounds arrogant but I have to try." Mr Fu and Han stood up and looked to the sun setting.

"Miss Ross it's dangerous to cross the desert at night we should go now." We all stood up.

"2nd Lieutenant, Major, tell the Colonel if he needs anything don't hesitate to contact me." She saluted and the two soldiers responded with there own salutes. I raised my hand about to salute but she held her hand our. "Edelle keep your spirits up." She smiled at me and I shook her hand.

"I still owe you for slapping me." I said my way of goodbye.

"You can get me next time then." She responded. I watched her Mr Fu and three other smugglers cross the desert.

"Come on we should be heading back to." Breda said and the three of us went back to the pool where we left the horses. I really wanted to check out that symbol in the church again.

"Hey guys, I'll be right back." I ran off not checking to see if it's okay. I found the symbol again. Five suns, two headed dragon. _'Dammit why does the top half have to be missing.'_ I heard rocks move behind me like someone accidentally kicked it. I stood up straight and heard the footprints move closer. _'Right I couldn't tell Armstrong or Breda where I went, hopefully they wont leave without me.'_ I felt a body close to me and waited I side stepped and saw a club swing out of the corner of my eye. I grabbed the attacker and threw him to the ground. "What do you want. I don't have any money so..." I saw his dark skin red eyes and white hair.

"An Ishvalan!"

 **Sorry for the wait between the post. Hoped you liked it. And omg did you notice the parallels between Ed and Al committing the taboo and Ed lying about her gender.**

 **See you guys next time with the Ishvalans and Ed in Xerxes.**


	33. Hohenhiem

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

"An Ishvalan." I said starring down at my attacker. As I said that more emerged from behind stones and broken pillars. I was easily surrounded. The others started walking towards me forming a circle around us. I tightened my grip on the man I was holding down. I heard the footsteps stop fully surrounding us with now way of escaping. I heard a pair of steps walk closer to me. I turned to see what was going on. A tall man with short white hair and a burn on his face was the one to move closer.

"Excuse me young man." He started. I smirked on the inside, it feels nice when I find out people actually think I'm a boy and believe it one hundred percent. "I'm afraid we're going to have to take you hostage until your military returns our holy land back to us." Of course that's what they want, I should have realized that these were survivors of the Ishvalan war of extermination. I adjusted my grip on the Ishvalan I was holding down. I pulled his arm back into an uncomfortable angle and only held on with one hand so I could used my automail arm to help balance from my position. My left knee dug into his back a little and I felt sorry for him.

"They aren't going to return squat for only a single kid." Maybe if I played my cards right I could talk my way out of this.

"It was the death of a single Ishvalan child that started the entire Ishvalan Civil war. I wouldn't underestimate your significance in history." The man retorted. I blinked hard. I really didn't think of that. _'I don't have time to be a hostage I have better things to do.'_ I started counting their numbers, way to many to fight.

"That's enough of your shameful behaviour." an old voice said. Every head in the group turned to see who was speaking. An old woman was being escorted by a young boy. Her hair was tied back and she had an eye patch covering her right eye. "Look at you fools. Are you all trying to disgrace the name of Ishvala?" She asked and the group of men lowered there heads. The small boy looked right at me.

"Look he wont try to attack you again he's really sorry." I scanned the group looking to see if anyone was going to make a move if I let go. I saw that no one was ready to strike so I let go of his hand and removed my knee from his back. He pushed himself on his knees and grabbed the shoulder of his arm I was holding.

"You stood up for me? I don't understand I thought Ishvalans hated Amestrians." I asked as delicate as I could and still sound like a boy. I was looking right at the old woman.

"Although we despise Amestrians for what they did to our people, we still realise that not all Amestrians aren't bad." The small boy put his hand on his shoulder and I saw a scar the crossed his chest like mine.

"We were both injured in the Ishvalan civil war but we were saved by two Amestrian doctors." I just looked at him I didn't know what to say. I knew that there were children casualties in the war, hell that's where my automail story comes from but I never thought I would meet someone my age who was honestly hurt. "To be honest I do hate you." He said. It was a blow to my gut, he has never met me before yet he is willing to hate me for something my people did. "But the two of them saved me and you deserve the same treatment." He finished. I didn't understand, if he hated me why bother help me. _'wait a second two Amestrian doctors helping Ishvalans.'_

"You aren't talking about the Rockbells aren't you?" The young boy and the old woman gasped and looked at each other.

"Wait were you friends with the Rockbells?" The young boy asked.

"Yeah I am. They were like an Aunt and Uncle to me" I nodded. The two were smiling at me now.

"They saved countless Ishvalans throughout the entire civil war." I could feel my face smile, yup that was the Rockbells for you.

"They refused to abandon their post, it didn't matter how much the violence escalated." They seemed to know so much about them, maybe they knew how the Rockbells died. I gulped.

"How...how did they die?" I felt that Winston had the right to know an specifics if he wanted to. At my question the gasped, the old woman bit her lip and the young boy looked away.

"They were both killed." She started, I looked at her to tell her I wanted more detail. "They were murdered in cold blood, and it was done by a hand of an Ishvalan they saved." I didn't know how to respond, why would anyone hurt someone who was helping others. The woman's voice was filled with regret.

"But... How...Why?" I stuttered

"I'm so sorry." She gave her sympathies "There was nothing we could do to stop him." They new who did it, fire grew in my stomach.

"Who did it!" I clenched my fist trying to contain my anger.

"His face was covered in bandages. And he was an Ishavalan monk, he also had a tattoo on his right arm." That bastard. I walked through the crowd to a pillar and punched it with my left arm to let out some anger without ruining my automail. "Can you do us a favour? If you ever visit the Rockbell's resting place, give them our thanks and our apology." the old woman said. I nodded and walked away from the group of Ishvalans.

I got back to Breda and Armstrong later then I intended to. I ran up to them and started apologizing. I looked to Breda who was still giving me the cold shoulder. I mounted my horse and glared at him.

"2nd Lieutenant Asshole, what the hell is wrong why are you made at me?" He kicked his horse getting it to go forward. "You can ignore me forever, I have a little sibling I know how to play this game." I continued. He just looked forward. I smirked at the challenge. "I know why you are mad. It's because not only am I younger then you I have the higher rank and I'm a girl, never thought you were misogynistic." I could see his eyebrow twitch he was breaking, my smile grew and I looked at Armstrong to see what he would have to say. He was smiling at me and shaking his head. "You want to know how the Colonel found out? It was when Scar first attacked me, in the streets Al was screaming sister out loud. Then he told Hawkeye on that little trip we had to my mechanic." I took a breath. "Or maybe you are mad that your Colonel doesn't trust you? Well I'm pretty sure he would have told everyone but the whole story makes him sound like a moron. Didn't look into our files before interviewing us assuming I was a boy because I had short hair, then he got me into the army an under-age girl, now he has to keep it a secret so he doesn't get in trouble himself." I was about to start again when he cut me off.

"You're wrong." He said quietly. I stared at the back of his head.

"Are you going to tell me why or are you going to let me continue with the guessing game?" I asked. I saw his shoulders shrug.

"It's not a trust issue with the Colonel, it's with you." I didn't know how to respond to that. "Why didn't you tell us? instead you make us play this game were we have to find out for ourselves. A team needs to trust each other, maybe not with every detail of there lives but with the things that matter."

"I never thought it did."

"It doesn't, but it makes me question if there is something you aren't telling me that could matter. Just let me know nest time so I can.."

"Can what protect me better? If I wanted to be protected I wouldn't pretend to be a guy." We rode in silence for a few minuets. "Breda? I have something to tell you."

"What is it now?" He turned to look at me.

"My name is Edelle, I'm a girl that's pretending to be a boy so I can fix my brothers body."

"Thank you for trusting me, but that still doesn't change much."

"I do trust you." I said almost to myself I was sure he didn't even hear it. The father the sun set the colder it got, I pulled the tan jacket closer to me.

"So how did Havoc take it?" Breda asked again trying to make conversation I guess.

"It was in Dublith, at the Devil's Nest. He pulled me out of a fight against a homunculus. I was in pretty bad shape so he tried to get me to go to a medic to get checked out. Then when I told him he tried to make me look like a girl so no one would recognize me. I ended up bribing the medics so you can tell how convincing his disguise was, he still owes me a tank top remind me to tell him when we get back." I was laughing remembering his was when I told him.

"Yeah he never was the smartest one in school." Breda joined into the laughing. "I'll keep your secret." I smiled at that. "I still don't fully trust you, but I'll keep it."

"Thank you Breda." The trip went smoothly after that us sharing stories back and forth until we reached Remesbool in the early morning.

We reached the main road Breda and Armstrong started to head for the train station when I stopped.

"Where are you going Chief?" Breda asked.

"I should probably go get my automail fixed shouldn't I?" I looked at Armstrong. He nodded at me.

"It would be the responsible thing to do." He told me.

"In that case see you boys back in Central and tell Al I'll be there soon." I walked off to Pinako's house and on the way there I passed the grave yard, _'I should probably go see mom, and the Rockbells while I'm here.'_ I made a quick turn into the yard. I was virtually alone there was a tall man standing around the area mom was. I only saw his back and broad shoulders, he had long blond hair pulled back into a pony tail. Wait I know that back, I remember seeing it when I was really younger. I walked closer to the man trying to see his face. I gripped the tan cloak I had tighter it couldn't be. He looked at me with condescending eyes.

"Hohenheim." I said the names tasting like ash in my mouth.

 **Hey guys long time no post, work has decided to give me more hours...uhgg anyway here it is.**

 **So see you next time with Ed in the grave yard dealing with daddy issues.**


	34. Daddy Drama

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

"Hohenheim." I said the names tasting like ash in my mouth. He gave me a look like he was trying to remember who I was. "Van Hohenhiem!" I yelled at him, that douche showing up after all o those years.

"Ed...elle?" He said with a questioning tone. I growled at him, of course he forgot about us it's the only way to explain why he never came back. "You've gotten taller."

"No shit, I was a toddler the last time you saw me." I snapped at him.

"You've gotten quite the reputation in Central. Edward Elric the Fullmetal Alchemist. Why are you parading around as a boy?"

"I have a promise to keep to someone, and I need to be a boy to make that happen."

"What did you promise?"

"None of your damned business!" I yelled and stalked out of the graveyard. I felt a tug at my automail arm, stopping me from moving. I turned to face him and he pushed up my sleeve to see my automail. I looked to see his face, his eyebrows were arched and eyes full of shock. I tried to pull my arm away but he held on. I looked down shoulders tensing.

"What happened?" He asked his voice was full of concern. I still looked away from him not meeting his eyes. He grabbed my shoulders his had digging into my flesh shoulder. He was trying to look me in the eyes but I locked them onto the ground. I could feel his eyes scan me as if to see if I was missing anything else. His armed moved down my flesh arm then he let go and I saw his head in my eye sight, he was feeling my legs when he reached the automail on the left one. "Pinako was right." He said still kneeling on the ground. "You did a human transmutation." I backed away from him.

"You bastard have no right to show up like this." I growled at him

"What right do you have to call me a bastard?" He asked with a sort of innocence in his voice.

"You aren't just any bastard you are the bastard and if you weren't in front of my mothers grave right now I would clock you." I stood and looked back to mom's grave. "You came back to late, you have no place to stay why did you come back?!" I yelled at him.

"You lost your limbs in the transmutation, where's Alphonse what did he lose?" He asked not even on the same page as me.

"Al isn't here." I said. He whipped his head to look at me.

"He's gone? My poor son."

"What no you bastard he's in Central waiting for me to get back." I yelled at him.

"Do you live in Central now?" He asked changing the subject again.

"I go where I'm needed." I responded. He looked up to the hill side where our house was.

"Why did you burn down my home?" His condescending voice hitting me like a punch.

"It's a symbol of our decision to move on from our mistake." I told him

"You're wrong. You aren't moving on from it you are running from it. You are trying to hide your mistake from the world like a little kid who wet her bed at night and hides her sheets." I felt my face get hot with anger and my breathing ragged. "You are running away." He finished. No one spoke I could feel my chest rise and fall very heavily. "Edelle-" He tried to start again.

"What would a bastard like you understand about this!"

"Edelle as your father I-"

"You can't speak to me like that!"

"Why because you are a girl because if your stories say anything you want to be treated like a boy-"

"You can come back after everything and try to know me!" I yelled and started walking back to Granny's place, I heard footsteps following me. "Why the hell are you following me!?"

"You burnt down my house I'm staying at Pinako's." I growled.

When we got back to Granny's she was talking on the phone to someone, was it Al? I fully walked in and slammed the door on the bastard. Granny heard that and looked at me.

"She just walked in." Yeah she was talking to Al. Bastard opened the door behind me. "You want to talk to her?" I walked to the phone. "It's Colonel Mustang, he wants to know if you are okay." I grabbed the phone from Granny.

"Hello?"

"Fullmetal, how was the trip?" He asked on the other side of the line.

"Great, um I don't know if he told you but Breda knows about me, but he does."

"Okay when he comes and visits I'll talk to him about it, did he take it well."

"He doesn't really trust me but he's not going to tell anyone so I guess that's good enough for me." My voice sounded hurt.

"Ed what's wrong what aren't you telling me." I looked over my shoulder to look at Granny and the bastard.

"Hohenheim is here."

"Do you want me to talk to him or..." He left the sentence hang there.

"No, but um would it be alright if I didn't come back tomorrow?"

"It will be fine take as long as you want, do you want me to tell Al?" He asked.

"Yeah could you stop by the hotel one night after work if it isn't to much trouble."

"Uh yeah it might be more of the next time that he comes and visits."

"You said visits twice now what's wrong are you in the hospital?"

"It's just a burn."

"Oh the Flame Alchemist burns himself." I started laughing at that it felt good to smile.

"Laugh it up Ed." he said, you could hear the smile on his face. "Have fun getting your automail fixed and please try not to kill your father."

"Have fun dealing with the nurses." I countered. I hung up the phone and looked directly at Granny ignoring the bastard besides her. "So what's for lunch I'm starved."

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV HOHENHIEM**

Edelle went to bed right after she finished her lunch claiming that she has been up for a whole day. Pinako told her where Winston's old clothes were and sent her off.

"Why do you encourage her?" I asked once I heard the bedroom door shut.

"Someone needs to support them." My old drinking buddy retorted. I picked up the dishes from the table and walked them over to the sink.

"She is how old, 14,15?" I asked setting the plates into the empty sink. Pinako chased me away before I could actually wash them. "You wouldn't be able to tell that by looking into her eyes, and that's if she lets you."

"She's been through a lot Van Hohenhiem. Her father took off with not even a word, her mother dies soon after, she basically started to take care of Al by herself at that point, I mean they lived here but the two of them grew very close together. Then after learning Alchemy from a professional, who isn't their parent, they attempt to revive their mother. I'm surprised they both lived after that." She grabbed wine from the cupboard and two glasses. "And she handled automail surgery better then most of my patients. Then she became the military's dog and has been ever since." She poured the wine into each of the glasses.

"She is reckless." I said and took a sip of the drink.

"She was desperate." Pinako countered.

"Why did you help her with her façade of being a boy." I asked trying to fully grasp the situation.

"They want to regain their bodies." Explained

"She's doing all of that so she can get two limbs back?" I asked, I forced myself to stay at the table and not run up the stairs to yell at my child.

"No, I don't think she is doing all of this for her, she wants to fix Alphonse more then anything."

"What's wrong with my son?" I was almost to afraid to ask.

"He lost everything, his whole body."

"Then how is he-" I started to ask but Pinako cut me off.

"Edelle bounded his soul to a suit of armour right after they failed to bring there mother back." Something like that would have cost something.

"What did she lose?"

"Apparently she lost her leg trying to resurrect her mother and her arm rescuing her brother." Two different payments, to different times witnessing the gate. We sat in silence sipping our wine, I was trying to understand what my daughter was thinking to make her do something like that. The sun melted into the sky painting it with beautiful colours as it disappeared on the horizon. I heard a faint whimper coming from upstairs, Pinako turned her head to the stairs hearing the noise as well. I waited before moving to see if it was really Edelle or just Den growling at me from outside. The whimper came again but this time a little louder. We both stood up and walked to the stairs, the whimpering becoming louder and closer together. I opened the door I heard the noise come from to be met with a pitch dark room. I walked into the room taking careful steps trying to be quiet. I reached the bed and Edelle was sprawled out onto the bed taking up as much space as she could. I could fully see her automail arm and the scars that came with it.

"Al...no...Nina..." She was muttering I looked at her face to see a frown on it. I grabbed her left shoulder and before I could do anything else her eyes were thrown open. She pushed me off of her then rolled over so her back was facing us. I slowly walked out of the room trying to remember the little girl who was scared of the monster under her bed and wanted Daddy to take care of it. I shut the door behind us and felt Pinako giving me a studious glance.

"Maybe I should get something stronger." And with that we went back to drinking.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV ED**

I woke up for a second time that night when I heard the door open. I kept my eyes closed and my breathing normal. I could hear heavy footsteps walking towards me. I waited to see what the bastard would do. He didn't do anything he just left the room, maybe he was making sure that I was asleep. I got up after the door shut and walked down the stairs.

"You did a great job on her automail Pinako." I heard Hohenhiem say. I grabbed my right elbow.

"Some of Winston's best." Pinako corrected him. I sat down at the bottom of the stairs jst out of sight of the dinner table.

"The Human Transmutation, why didn't anyone scold those two?" He asked.

"Oh someone did." Pinako laughed. "Colonel Mustang came here looking for you and ended up finding your old house and that thing, let's just say that Edelle and Mustang have very similar personalities."

"It's good that someone scolded them about it."

"You're right it's good that they have a father figure in their lives." Pinako said. I part of me was happy that she was bitching him out, but she couldn't have been more wrong, Mustang wasn't a father figure was he?

"He was the one that called to check on her right? Does he do that often when she's in town?" he asked.

"Yes and no sometimes he comes with her, it's more of an effort then you've made these past years. Maybe if you were here they wouldn't have tried to make their mother." _'Drop the subject.'_ I prayed. The room was quite except for Den growling at the bastard.

"Make their mother." He whispered. I heard the clanking of automail and I looked to see that Den was standing besides me just out of eyesight of the kitchen.

"Pinako, you disposed of the results of the human transmutation right?" What was he playing at. "Was it really Trisha that they made?"

"It wasn't really a person, more of a thing by the time I saw it."

"That's not what I meant, did you notice the hair colour or the eye colour?"

"What are you talking about?" Pinako was getting mad. "Are you saying that those two went working on something totally unrelated to them and their current bodies was just a mistake?! Those are terrible words!" At that I froze I didn't know how to react.

"It's just a theory." I heard Hohenhiem say. I ran up the stairs as quietly as possible. _'What did we do? No that bastard can't be right can he.'_ I fell back to sleep only to be greeted by nightmares once more.

 **Hey guys hope you liked it, so next time we will be starting off with Ed just after the nightmare. Feel free to comment and suggest like always, and I'll see you next time.**


	35. Graveyards in the rain

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

After I overheard Pinako and the bastard I went back upstairs trying to sleep, it didn't work. I was greeted with nightmares of Tucker and Nina, of the thing we made and the truth. I was sitting up in my bed head in my hands when I heard Granny yell from downstairs.

"Ed if you want anything for breakfast you better come downstairs." I wasn't hungry, in fact I felt sick to my stomach but I still dragged myself out of bed and down the stairs. When I reached the kitchen Granny was still making the meal. "You look like hell kid." I shrugged at her and took my seat across from the bastard.

"I couldn't sleep last night." I admitted. Granny walked over with a glass of apple juice and pancakes. I grabbed my fork and shovelled some into my mouth. Granny moved to sit down beside me.

"So Hohenheim, when does your train leave?" Granny asked trying to make conversation. I kept my focus on the food in front of me.

"In an hours time." He responded. I took a large sip of the juice in front of me. "You know you would grow taller if you drank milk." Hohenheim said pointing at the glass. I whipped my head up and glared at him, for a few seconds before I stormed out of the kitchen and back to my room. I threw myself onto the bed and buried myself into the pillow. I laid there breathing in the sent of the pillow trying to calm the nauseous feeling in my stomach. I thought I was only there for a few seconds when Granny yelled.

"Ed get down here and say goodbye to your farther!"

"Oh he wants to say goodbye this time!?" I yelled back. I stood up and started to get dressed. I pulled on one of Winston's old long sleeved shirts and the pants from yesterday. The door opened and I looked to see Granny standing there. I knit my eyebrows and grabbed my right elbow.

"Granny there's something I need your help for." I looked down. "I want to dig up what we made."

I carried the shovel up to where my old house use to be. Granny had a bucket filled with other tools that we might need.

"That's the back of your house." She pointed to a spot on the grass. My stomach did another flip, I held it tightly trying to ride through the pain. She walked to a spot that was nothing but grass. "This should be it right here." I started shivering, I felt like I was going to be seriously sick, my stumps aching stomach turning, I felt cold and hot all at the same time. "We don't have to do this now." Granny said trying to get me to back down.

"No, my joints are hurting, the weather is about to change and I want to get this over and done with." I dug into the ground with my shovel. I didn't know how long I lasted before I dropped to my knees and started puking. I gasped for air when I was finished, just noticing the rain. Granny was rubbing circles on my back trying to help with the pain, I ignored what she was saying and stood back up. "I can't run away, I have to know if it's was really her." I kept digging shovel after shovel clothes getting soaked in the rain. When I couldn't take it any more I stumbled over to the old tree and threw up. Granny would come over and check on me but I would shrug her off and get back to digging. It felt like hours in the pouring rain when I finally hit something. I dropped to my knees and started clearing away the dirt. I found something that felt like hair and I ripped a handful out of the skull and ran to the bucket that was now filled with water. I ran it threw the water to wash away all of the dirt. I pulled it out and saw that the hair was black. I felt sick again. "Granny, mom's hair was chestnut brown right?" I asked voice shaking. "Because this is black." We started to dig up the rest of the corps, when we had enough of it Granny started measuring it's bones while I stood and watched not having any input really.

"This thigh bone is much to long, and you can tell the gender from the pelvis." She looked at me with eyes full of different emotions. "I'm sorry but this isn't your mother." I dropped to my knees and looked at the ground, I couldn't tell which emotion I was feeling, relief, anger, joy sorrow. I started laughing not knowing how to deal with the situation.

"So it can't be done, humans can't be brought back from the dead no matter what. That is the truth."

"Edelle are you okay?" She put her hand on my shoulder and I nodded.

"Better then okay, this thing that Al and I made was hopelessness and defeat, but now its a symbol of hope I can bring Al's body back." I was going over the logic of the situation, it was possible I could do it. I started coughing before I could explain, deep coughs that shook my whole body.

"Let's get you inside." She helped me stand and we walked back to her place, I knew I was going to have to make a few calls.

"Granny can we make a grave for it?" I asked on the walk back.

"After the rain stops." She answered still helping support my weight.

I was sitting on the counter beside the phone trying to figure who to call first. Izumi it was. I dialled the number of my old teacher.

"Curtis residence?

"Izumi, it's me Edelle." I started. I heard the phone slam shut on the other end. I redialled, she wasn't going to get rid of me that easily. The phone rang for a few minutes before it picked up again.

"Edelle, just stop." I heard Sig say from the other end.

"I have something important to ask your wife." Granny walked over and gave me a towel to dry myself off with, I threw it over my shoulders and waited for his response.

"Well what is it?"

"Ask her if the thing that she really transmuted was her child. Because the thing Al and I made wasn't really mom." I told him.

"I will." His voice filled with disbelief seconds after he hung up the phone. I ran the towel over my face and called the Central Military Hospital.

"Central Military Hospital, how can I help you?" A young woman asked on the other end.

"I would like to speak with Colonel Mustang please." I asked. I heard her put the phone down and her talk to someone about getting the a wheelchair for the Colonel. _'Wheelchair how hurt was he?'_ I asked myself. After a few minuets on hold I heard Hawkeye yell at the Colonel and he phone move.

"Hawkeye I'm fine I don't need to be in a wheel- oof" He sounded like he got the wind knocked out of him like someone pushed him into the chair. "Colonel Mustang." He said into the phone.

"Mustang it's me, Ed." I said into the phone.

"What's wrong you never call." I could hear him stand up as he said that.

"I'm fine I guess, but I dug up the thing that Al and I made and it wasn't mom."

"What? I don't understand."

"Al and I made someone but it wasn't mom." I tried to clarify.

"So you lost all of that and it wasn't even your mother." He sounded defeated.

"Human transmutation isn't possible. You can't bring anyone back after they passed through the gate."

"I'm so sorry." His voice was soft and full of concern.

"You now what's worse is that bastard knew it wasn't her and he didn't even see it, like he knew that it wasn't possible."

"Edelle, stop it right there. There was no way you could have known, so don't blame this on yourself. Okay do you understand?" I didn't respond I just nodded into the phone. "Now I'll see you whenever you get back." He hung up the phone not letting me say anything in return. I hung up the phone on my end. I looked out the window to see that the rain was letting up.

"Come on Granny, let's go make that grave." I walked out of the house not sure if she was even following me, and I didn't really care I had to do this by myself.

I caught myself standing in the real cemetery after I finished with the grave for the unknown man. I was staring at the Rockbells grave when Granny came up from behind me.

"You know your son, save a lot of people in the war on both sides." I told her. "He didn't care if they were friend or foe, he just helped who needed help."

"That sounds like him." I nodded in response, _'It sounds like Winston.'_ I thought "Did you hear how they died?" I took a breath and made a quick decision.

"No I didn't." I looked to my mothers grave that was right beside the Rockbells. "So where is Hohenhiem off to now?" I asked not caring about the answer.

"He didn't say."

"It's a good thing he left when he did, or else I would have clocked him." I clenched my right hand, I couldn't wait for the next time I would see him so I could show that asshole what he meant to me.

"Dammit!" Granny swore. I turned to look at her and she was flustered. I raised both of my eyebrows to ask what was wrong. "I forgot to give him Trisha's message. She told me to tell him that she couldn't keep her promise and that she was sorry."

"What promise?"

"I don't know. Do me a favour the next time you see him tell him for me." I started head to the house.

"If I do see him I'll tell him." She followed me close by.

"Are you headed back to Central?" Granny asked trying to make conversation.

"Yeah someone needs to take care of Al, we all know Winston is better with machines then living things." I joked. I had nothing to pack so after I walked Granny to her house I headed off to the train station. It was going to be a long and lonely ride back, but I couldn't wait to tell Al my news.

 **Hey guys long time no post. I've been busy with work and other things. On happier news Montreal comic con is this weekend and I'm going. But in other words of the story I'll be starting off with Edelle at the hotel in Central. See you next time!**


	36. I didn't kill her

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

I got to the hotel after a long train ride, the sun has been set for a while at that point. Winston was in the hotel lobby talking on the phone to somebody. I walked up behind him when he hung up the phone.

"Hey Winston." He turned and looked at and his eyes went wide.

"You idiot!" He yelled at me.

"What ? I didn't break my automail." I was confused at his reaction to seeing me. I felt strong hands on my back pushing me to the stairs.

"You need to see your brother right now!" He didn't slow down when we reached the stairs so he mainly dragged me up them. When we got to the door I glared at him and he met my glare.

"You know I could have walked up them by myself." And with that I opened the door to the bedroom to see what was wrong with my little brother. It wasn't hard to find the seven foot tall suit that was my little brother. He was standing in the middle of the room with tarps where his right arm and mouth plate should be. I couldn't figure out whether I should be made or concerned or relived. I opened my mouth.

"YOU BROKE YOUR!" So angry was the emotion I was going with. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO WHEN I WAS GONE?!" I heard the sounds of people eating so I looked at the only table in the room to find Lan Fan and Ling sitting and eating enough food to feed an army. "AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

"We're eating." Ling responded. I didn't care how cute he was right then, I was too angry to see straight. I walked over to him and Lan Fan and grabbed them from the backs of their shirts and dragged them to the door. I literally kick the two out the door, once they were out I slammed the door behind them. I turned to look at Al and Winston they both held their hands up thinking I was going to do the same to them. I took a deep breath. "Al could you sit down please?" He did as I asked and sat down. I walked up to him to examine the cuts in the armour. "This is a clean cut, what the hell did you do when I was gone?"

"Okay after you left Ling showed up and told us about how Ross was innocent and you were going to Xerxes to see that she was still alive. Then he got a signal from Lan Fan that the fighting had started so we went to fight the homunculi, and Barry the chopper was there and so was his real body. We followed them to the 3rd laboratory and split up, Hawkeye and I went one direction and the Colonel and Havoc went the other direction. We found this huge white room with a giant door on the other end, that's when Lust came to kill us, you know she was the one that cut off my arm." Al informed me. At that my eye widened I was about to say something before Al cut me off to continue. "Don't worry about it Mustang killed her after he cauterized his own wound. Then they were taken to the hospital and I came back here." He looked down when he finished but I could tell he was holding something back.

"Al what aren't you telling me?" I asked making him make eye contact again.

"Barry the Chopper said that a soul in a foreign vessel could be rejected at any moment." It felt like a rock landed in my stomach. My little brother could die before I could save him. I clapped my hands and used the metal from the surrounding area to replace his arm.

"Sorry you are going to be a bit thinner, just don't do anything stupid without me next time." I said as the transmutation happened. Once it was done and Al was all fixed I looked down trying to wrap my head around everything.

"Al will get back to normal right?" Winston asked, worried for him. I could feel a smile on my face.

"Of course he is. I said I will fix him so I will." I took a breath. "Al I was up to some stuff while I was gone. I dug up the thing we made." I flat out told him not knowing a better time to do so. Al stood up at that.

"Wha..."

"It wasn't mom." I finished cutting him off. I could feel the confusion coming from him. "But it has lead me to believe that we can get your body back." Winston's jaw dropped at that.

"Really how?" He asked. I took a breath.

"Do you remember when you two cut my hair super short?" I asked.

"Yeah we were just talking about it the other day." Al said not getting the point.

"I heard from Al that it was a prank, do you remember why you did it?" I asked. _'man it was like pulling teeth.'_

"Yeah, it was Al's idea, we just wanted to laugh. So one night that you stayed over at our place and not in your basement, Al and I walked into your room and we both cut your hair while you were sleeping." Winston explained. I got angry at that.

"Why the hell didn't you just draw on my face then! It took me years to regrow that!" I yelled getting off topic.

"Why does it matter?" Winston asked trying to get me back on topic.

"Because I thought that I cut it on my own, but I never remember cutting it. It proves that Al's memories aren't fake and they are his."

"But then how am I remembering things now? I don't have a brain in this body." Al said, I walked over to him and pulled off his helmet. I point to the blood seal on the back of his armour.

"This right here. It's a link your soul is connected to your mind, meaning that your body is still alive somewhere."

"Like Barry the Chopper. His body existed without his soul."

"And like in alchemy how there is the body, the mind, and the soul."

"The body and the soul are attracted together because it's connected to the mind." Al and I were just going back and forth saying these things, I knew that if I was trying to figure this out on my own it would have taken much longer. I could feel that Winston was lost in this entire conversation but it didn't matter if he understood, the only one who mattered was Alphonse.

"The reason your body was taken wasn't for materials for mom. It was for the fee to go through the gate, then I gave my right arm to pull your soul out."

"Then why couldn't you pull your mom out?" Winston asked. So maybe he was getting some of this.

"Mom was too far into the gate to pull back out." I answered him.

"I remember reaching to something that looked like mom." Al said. _'What?'_

"Al try to remember, you got farther then I did so I didn't see that." Al reached out his hand like he was trying to recreate the moment.

"It was me, mom wasn't there." I nodded.

"That's right you're there." I said.

"I remember...that time...I was watching you from the thing that we thought was mom." I remember that thing reaching out to me, that creature was my own brother at a time. I shivered at the thought and pressed my head against his chest plate.

"Let's just be happy that your soul didn't get fixed on that." I hugged my brother "Al I'm so sorry we transmuted something totally different and I got you caught in the mess, and I turned you into a time bomb with that body. I'm sorry." I felt Al hug me back. A knock on the door broke the hug. "Get lost Ling!" I yelled not in the mood to deal with the foreigner.

"Mr Elric there is a phone call for you from an Izumi Curtis." A man said from behind the door. I stood up and went to the door to follow the man to the lobby. "Might I ask who Ling is?" The man asked.

"Just someone who doesn't know when he's over stayed his welcome." I answered him. I got to the front desk and picked up the phone. "Izumi?" I asked into the phone.

"Listen Sig told me what you said so we looked into it, that child couldn't have been ours." She said quickly, still mad at me. "What have you found out?"

"A dead person can't be revived." I told my former teacher.

"Ed." She said on the other end of the line, it called me to attention one of the first times she called me by my nick name. "Thanks." She hung up the phone before I could ask why. I went back to the stairs so I could go back to the room, thanks was still ringing through my head. I almost didn't notice the suit of armour standing at the foot of the stairs.

"What did teacher say?" He asked.

"Thanks." I said as I passed him and started walking up the stairs.

"Okay. I've been blaming myself since the day that we transmuted mom. But I was afraid to say it. I was... I was the one that made mom that way and then killed her... I was afraid to say it. Thank you Sister." He said that last part just above a whisper so only he and I could her it.

"Me too." I related to my little brother and for once I didn't have the weight of killing mom on my shoulders. "Even if I didn't kill mom, I still made you into that body. It's not something that will be forgiven. Until I get your body back I won't-"

"Sister." Al cut me off. "The same crimes fall on me. I was part of it. Don't say it like you have to carry all that by yourself. Don't hold yourself responsible. I saw people, with their own bodies, they had objections with their own body and they lived wildly. I thought about the way they lived. People around me treat me like a person. And even though I could be rejected at any moment, it's the same as being human never knowing when you could die. If I live normally then there's nothing bad about this still.. I don't... I don't want to spend another night alone. That's the only reason that I want my body back."

"And I just really want to see you smile again." I said truthfully.

"I don't want to involve anyone else though, I want to protect the people around me. There has to be a way where no one gets hurt and I still get my body back." He sounded a bit desperate at that point so I lightly punched his chest with my automail.

"There's no time to be worried, let's go kick that truth guy's butt. Then we'll drag your body from that place." I cheered. For the first time in a long time I felt that we had a fighting chance. I charged up the stairs and Al followed me. _'Soon little brother you won't have to spend the nights alone.'_

 **Hey guys long time no post. Really sorry about that. Comic con was awesome. So next time I'll be seeing you guys in there hotel room with Ed again. Hopefully it wont be another week between post but no guarantees. See you next time and like always feel free to comment and suggest.**


	37. Return of Scar

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

"What if it's decomposing?" Al asked out of nowhere. "Then what happens?" It took me a second longer then it should have to realize that he was talking about his body. Winston and I just looked at him, I could feel concern coming from Winston but I stayed cool and hoped my theory was true. "Even if my body is there, it hasn't been getting any sleep or nutrients. What good will it do bringing my body back if it's going to be like Barry's?" That gave me a nice mental image of Al's body alive but looking dead. It made me cringe, I really hoped my theory was right. Before the panic rose any higher I started speaking.

"It's just a theory." I said to also get no ones hopes up. "When we transmuted mom we added our blood as a replacement for the soul. And later both of us where taken to the other side and were separated from our bodies. I'm wondering if it's possible that our spirits were mixed together."

"What are you trying to say?" Al asked obviously not getting the point.

"Well it's possible that Al's soul on that side got mixed with mine on this side. I'm mean look at my height it would explain why... I'm... So ... Small." I admitted it I was small, I still hung my head at the end of the sentence.

"So you are trying to blame your height on Al?" Winston asked.

"No I'm saying that it's the only logical excuse for me not growing more then two inches in three years!" I answered.

"No you not drinking milk is the reason why you are small." He clarified. I wrinkled my nose at him.

"How does me not drinking milk effect my size?" I asked angry that the subject has stayed on my height. I looked at Al not listening to Winston, even though my brother didn't have any facial expression I could tell that he was in deep thought.

"Well it's good to know that we share the same blood." My little brother said. I smiled at him then I realized something.

"When you get your body back I'll be able to grow taller." I smiled more at that, glade that I wasn't going to be small forever. Winston just laughed at me.

"Now that we solved the question of Ed's height I can go back to Mr Garfield's tomorrow and get back to work." He stood up to go back to his room.

"Wait your leaving?" I asked not wanting my mechanic to leave.

"I'm not Al's babysitter, and I'm not your either. You two can take care of yourselves." He opened the door. "And besides if I stay any longer people will might start realizing how small you are compared to a real boy." And with that he left, I wondered when the next time I'll see him.

"The question is how do we open the gate?" Al asked now that we were alone. "I mean we could open it if we had something to pay the fee with." I started cleaning under my nails with my teethe when I was done I just looked at my hand, _'maybe my other two limbs will be enough.'_ I couldn't help but think. "You aren't going to give your other two limbs for me. Didn't we promise that we would regain our bodies together?" Al could read me like a book sometimes. I gave him a half smile trying not to shake my head. _'I promised that I would get your body back no matter what not mine.'_ I knew that even if it did come down to me losing my other limbs if it got Al's body back I didn't care.

"Yeah we did." _'Not.'_ I said only thinking the last part.

"The only way we could do this is with the philosophers stone." Al said in defeat.

"I thought you said you didn't want to sacrifice other peoples lives." I countered.

"I don't."

"But we need humans soul or a vessel to open the gate." I was getting frustrated with myself. "If only I made that deal with Greed." I hit my hand on the couch and pushed myself up so i could collapse on the bed. My head was buried into the pillow.

"If you did then the president would have killed us." Al reminded me. I lifted my head up a little.

"You know for an old guy he's pretty strong, and fast."

"Maybe he's a homunculus." Al said. There was silence in the room. I tried to hold back the laughter but it didn't work. Al and I were both laughing at the idea of fuhrer King Bradley being a homunculus.

"What ever we do we are going to have to ask a homunculus they seam to know what's going on." I said. I stood up "Come on let's go." I put my hand in my pocket and wrapped it around the pocket watch. Al tiled his head confused. "If we don't go now I'm going to fall asleep and it wont get done until morning." I explained hoping he thinks it's a good enough reason. He stood up and followed me to the door.

"Okay but only for a hour." He said as we walked down the hall.

"Why an hour you have somewhere to be?" I smiled at the idea of my little brother having a date or something.

"We basically found out that you are eating and sleeping for two people."

"And what you want me to get you your beauty sleep?" I joked walking down the stairs.

"I just don't want you over exerting yourself." I started laughing at that. The night air was cold and the wind hit my face.

"First of all I'm not pregnant so stop treating me like I'm growing the child. And second why does it matter all of a sudden? I've done it before and we've both gotten out fine, you need to stop worrying about me."

"If I don't then who will." He said under his breath not meaning for me to hear it. I smiled and answered.

"Winston worries plenty." We walked in silence until we reached the third laboratory. Al waited by the gates and I went in a flashed my state pocket watch. I was given a tour around the building, I kept looking for an entrance to the underground section but I could find any. What I did find was a wall that had tiny transmutation lines on it. I smirked to myself and when the tour was done I ran outside to met Al to tell him the news.

"What are we going to do now?" He asked talking about the homunculi but I wanted to get my mind off of it right now.

"How about we visit Colonel Bastard?' I started walking towards the military hospital. "And Hughes while were at it."

"Hughes was discharged the other day, but we could visit the Colonel I guess." Al followed behind me and I stopped.

"Wait we will be out for more then an hour is that alright with you?" I asked in the most over dramatic way I could. He pushed me with his arm.

"Just keep walking." Oh I was going to make him pay for that comment. We got about half way to the hospital when someone ran up to us. It was Brosh

"Edelle, I've been looking for you everywhere." He said panting. It felt vaguely familiar the situation. "I think it's best for you to go back to your hotel. The truth is Scar's alive." I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand I looked everywhere around me to see if he was in the area.

"Does the Colonel know?" I asked. The Sargent shook his head.

"I don't think so."

"Then you can escort us to the hospital and inform him when you arrive." I said trying to keep my voice calm. The three of us walked the remaining way to the hospital in silence. When we got there I went straight to the front desk. "Is state alchemist Colonel Mustang here?"

"No he checked himself out early yesterday evening." the lady at the front desk informed us. I rubbed my temples. I may not need a babysitter but he sure does.

"Thank you." I said and left the building heading back to the hotel. When we got to the door Brosh spoke again.

"The most recent description of Scar is that he has a scar on his forehead and tattoos covering his whole right arm." I thought about what the Ishvalans said in the desert, Scar fit that description to a tee. I nodded at Brosh to dismiss him and walked back up to our room.

"Al I need to tell you something." I stripped off my jacket and sat on the bed. "Scar killed Winston's parents." I said not beating around the bush. The murderer made me mad, wait murderer... I could feel a smile growing on my face.

"Why haven't you told Winston?" Al asked.

"He would only get in the way." I dismissed what he said. "Al I have an idea, the homunculi want us alive and Scar wants me dead. Maybe we could trick the homunculi out of their hiding spot so we could interrogate them." I started to pull my pants off so I could sleep, never again was I going a day without sleeping. Al turned around so his back was facing me giving me little privacy.

"But isn't the chance of them coming out very low?"

"It's better then nothing." I said yawning. I took off my shirt so I could undo the wrapping and my bra once that was done I threw the top back on. "Okay Al you're good." I said standing in my boxers and a tank top.

"Most girls wear girl underwear." he tells me.

"These are more comfy. Now the only problem is is how do we capture a homunculus?" I said trying to come up with an idea. The window flew open and Al and I turned to look. It was Ling and Lan Fan. _'He saw everything, oh god, oh god, oh god.'_ I felt my breathing pick up speed. Al went into protective big brother mode and stood in front of me.

"We heard everything and are here to help." He said.

"Why do you want to help us?" I asked the boy while crossing my arms over my chest.

"Because we want the key to immortality and those things can't die."

"Fine but if we get one you can run away with it." I said stating the rules of our agreement. Ling to a step closer to me and moved Al out of the way. I could feel my face get red because I was in my pyjamas in front of a really hot guy. He took another step closer so he was right on top of me pretty much.

"I'm not going to run away from you this time." He said looking down to me. Now I knew I was blushing. I heard the door get pushed open this time but I didn't take my eyes off of Ling.

"Will you guys just shut up. Some people might actually want to sleep." It was Winston. God how many more people can we fit into this room. I turned to see him and he was just standing there in pyjama bottoms. My eyes grew wide at his body. _'wait why it's just Winston.'_ I thought to my body _'he's no big deal it's not like you haven't seen it before.'_ "Listen I have to get up early tomorrow so could everyone be quiet for the next six hours?" He asked angrily. I thought about him leaving town again, hoping he would be gone before we faced Scar so he would be out of the way. Wait Scar, Winston, Leaving.

"Hey maybe you should stick around Central for a bit. You know check out some of the automail stores here, or you know visit Hughes again." I said trying to convince him to stay. He looked unimpressed.

"You're going to break you're automail again aren't you." He didn't sound impressed either. I knit my eyebrows together and bit my lower lip.

"Hopefully not." I said as I shrugged my shoulders.

 **Hey guys, great news it wasn't a week between posts. I was worried cause my laptop died and my charger broke so I had to order a brand new one so I didn't think I would have finished it in time. So see you next time with Ed trying to be Scar bait.**


	38. Not a killer

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

Al and I got up early the next morning to set the plan in motion. It was almost noon and still no signs of Scar. We grabbed a table at a restaurant and I ordered lunch for myself, I could here Al snickering.

"What's so funny?" I asked. But before Al could answer the waitress came back with complementary bread. I grabbed a roll and shoved it in my mouth.

"You complain about how much Ling eats." He just said. I raised my eyebrows to ask him what the deal was. I decided not to grace that comment with a response.

"Okay so no sign of Scar all day and we need to find him so he can attack me." I broke another roll in half and ate it. "Oh god doesn't that sound insane." I was really having second thoughts about this plan. My lunch arrived and I instantly started eating it as fast as I could. I was half way done when I heard a loud crash from outside. I stood up from my spot and looked out the window, one of the restaurants was knocked over and destroyed by a car. I scratched under my nose when I got an idea. I flagged our waitress over. "Can you move us to one of the tables outside, I have work to do and I don't feel like running in and out all day." I told her flashing her with a half smile. She nodded and started to move my food outside.

"Brother what are you doing?" Al asked following me to the crash site.

"Causing a scene. I hear I'm good at that." I told him as I walked right up to the shop owner. "Hi there. It looks like you could use some help." I said in a loud and showy voice.

"Yeah I'm going to have to shut down to reconstruct." The man said.

"This looks like a job for National Alchemist Edward Elric." I said flashing my pocket watch and smiling. I walked right up to the rubble. "This is no problem I'll be able to fix this easily." I said and clapped my hands together. I brought them to the broken building and in a matter of seconds it was fixed. The man stood watching with wide eyes and his jaw dropped.

"That's amazing what do I owe you for the payment?"

"Payment? That's not necessary!" I said holding my hands up and shaking my head. An old lady walked up to me with a broken urn. This was to easy. I clapped my hands and fixed the urn, then I started running around town fixing stuff that was broken or build buildings that weren't built yet. Once I was pretty sure that I had everyone's attention I started talking. "If anyone needs me or my services I'll be around this area for the rest of the day. Spread the word!" and with that I went back to the restaurant to eat my lunch. I finished the cold meal when a car pulled up in front of us. _'Great maybe more people want me to fix things.'_ the back window unrolled and it was the Colonel.

"I thought you didn't want the public's attention focused on you, word might get out." He said.

"Shouldn't you be in the hospital?" I countered. "Speaking of which Al told me about Havoc, if what I found out is true then Dr Marco-" Mustang held up a hand to cut me off.

"Wait, not here get in the car." The ride only lasted a couple of seconds because Al was a bit to big for this car. We all climbed out into a back alleyway and before Mustang could speak I punched him in his stomach. He grabbed his side and almost feel to his knees.

"That's for slapping me, and for lying about Ross." I said. He nodded his head with a pained expression. He leaned against the car door before he spoke.

"Dr. Marco is missing. I sent Breda to go and get him after he came back from the East and he was gone, presumably taken by the homunculi."

"Why the hell would they want him?" I asked.

"Maybe he found out something he wasn't supposed to in Ishval and they are trying to get rid of the threat." Mustang suggested. "Speaking of Ishval Scar's back. Please tell me you didn't know this." Mustang said.

"No I knew he was back."

"Then why the hell are you drawing all of this attention to yourselves?" He was yelling at me. I was trying to figure out how much I should tell him.

"I want a rematch." I said lamely.

"Have you forgotten about East City? He nearly killed you!"

"Concern doesn't really suit you Colonel and beside unlike you I wasn't useless against him last time."

"It was raining that day!" He yelled back.

"Was it raining the day you got beat up and sent to the hospital." I said pressing his buttons. I heard a gun cock and I looked at Hawkeye, her eyes were trained down the ally way. I looked to see what she was starring at and it was Scar. I felt Mustang put a hand on my shoulder and pulled me behind him putting himself between me and Scar. I looked down to his ungloved hands, _'great he's trying to get himself killed.'_

"You got him here now what's the plan?" He asked over his shoulder not looking at me.

"Lt. Don't shot." I said "Don't attack him. I need him alive." Scar dove his hand to the ground and Al pulled the Colonel and Hawkeye to his side and I charged the murderer. I left Al to deal with civilians and military officers because Scar isn't trying to kill him just me. I clapped my hands and sent the ground to get him just as a distraction knowing he was going to break it. It was a difficult fight I had to stay close so he wouldn't lose interest but at the same time if I got to close I was a goner. He threw his right hand towards me and barely missed my head. I backed up to get some distance between us and he touched to ground a rock hit my head breaking skin. I landed on my ass and he charged me, I clapped my hands together and met his right hand with mine. It was like the first time we met when he thought my hand wasn't metal. The force sent me flying back with my red coat blocking my face. I threw it out of my line of sight panting, I looked down to see my sleeves on my right side were destroyed, meaning I was going to need to make another jacket. I got back on me feet quickly and put my hands within clapping distance, I looked to my opponent to see his tattoo on his right side, it was only partly visible through the ripped clothing but it was there. I wiped blood away from my eye with my left hand _'where the hell were those homunculi?'_ I might have improved from last time but I knew I wouldn't be able to keep this up any longer. He took a step closer to me so I did the only thing I could think of, I ran away trying to lose him through the streets and buy me some more time. I didn't know if he was following my but I was pretty sure Al was going to force him to. I reached a wall with pipes going up it, it just had to be my luck that it was a dead end also I turned to leave and chose another side street but Scar was blocking the exit. I ran to the wall and grabbed on of the pipes and started to climb over the wall. _'Who the hell makes a wall the same height as the buildings?'_ I was about two stories up when I felt the pipe being to shake I looked down to see Scar physically shaking the pipe and not transmuting it, I laughed at his momentary stupidity as I tried to climb higher. I heard a crunch sound like the wall broke, I looked down one more time to see the ground coming surprisingly closer to my face the more I thought about it I could feel the wind running through my hair as well I prepared myself for impact knowing that it was going to kill me just hurt me enough so that Scar could kill me, I could feel fear in the back of my mind edge closer to the front, my heart started racing and everything felt like it was in slow motion. I closed my eyes so I wouldn't see how fast I was falling but sooner then I expected my back hit rock. "Ow" I said I opened my eyes to see that Al caught my with a transmutation, I started laughing. "Great job little brother." I stood up to slide down the slope of the transmutation to reach the ground.

"Just hurry up and run!" I could hear the fear in his voice. _'Aw he was worried that I was going to get hurt with the fall.'_ I felt the rock breaking from underneath me, right Scar. I jumped off the transmutation and landed on the other side of Scar, we had him cornered Al and I on the sides and to police officers blocking the only other exit. The streets were silent or I couldn't hear anything over the sound o my quickened heart beats. The fall may have given me a surge of energy but I was still having trouble catching my breath. Scar touched the ground and I readied myself to dodge but ha wasn't after me or Al he went after the two officers.

"Bastard leave them out of this!" I yelled at him.

"They wouldn't have been apart of this if you would just accept your judgement already." The Ishvalan said. Al started to make him monologue but I couldn't figure out why, I let my guard down a little and started to even out my breathing. Al stopped talking and so did Scar, maybe now was the time to ask him about Winston's parents.

"We alchemist have made mistakes, but that doesn't mean we acknowledge what you are doing." I readied myself prepared to attack now that his attention was fully on me. "I have just one thing to ask you. Do you remember a pair of married Amestrian doctors named Rockbell?" He didn't answer but I heard Al say wait quietly, I ignored him and keep pressing onward. "Don't tell me you forgot about the doctors that saved your life and in returned got murdered by you!" I yelled, the Scared man widened his eyes remembering the doctors that he slaughtered.

"Ed!" Al yelled I finally looked to him to see he was looking down the alley that the two officers were in. I followed his gaze to see Winston standing there in his usual shorts and jacket. He looked at me broken and with sad confused eyes.

"Ed... This person...killed my parents?" I could feel the anger replace the sadness. He dove to the ground and picked up one of the guns of the fallen officers. "What the hell did they ever do to you!" He pointed the gun at Scar.

"Winston! Wait!" I yelled "Don't shoot!"

"So you are the son of those doctors?" Scar asked. "Then you have the right to shoot me. But the moment the bullet is released from that gun you will become my enemy." I saw him put his other hand on the gun bracing himself for when he shot.

"Winston leave now." Al said calm but direct.

"If you aren't going to shoot then leave this battle field." Scar moved to attack me but stopped when the sound a snap come from Winston, we all looked to see if he dropped the gun but turns out he just took the safety off. Scar moved to attack Winston but I beat him there putting myself between Scar and the gun with my back to Winston.

"Don't hurt him, he has nothing to do with this." I was holding the gun down trying to get him to let it go but he held on. I looked Scar right in his eyes begging him to let Winston go, I felt the gun move so I put more of my weight on it keeping it to the ground.

"Ed just leave us alone." Winston said behind me. I took my eyes off of Scar and I looked at Winston.

"I'm not going to let you become a murderer because of him, just put down the gun." I looked back to Scar ignoring his hand that was inches away from my face. Scar just had a frozen look to him like he was trying to figure out if it was worth killing Winston or not. Al saw the silence as an opportunity to attack Scar, my little brother kneed his shoulder and Scar ran trying to find safety from Al.

"Alphonse" I screamed standing up to follow him to get Scar.

"Just get Winston to somewhere safe. I got Scar." And with that he took off after Scar leaving the two of us in the alley. I got off of his lap and turned to face him tears streaked his face.

"Let go of the gun." I said one last time.

"I couldn't shoot him, even though he's my enemy I couldn't." He was sobbing.

"He's not your enemy, he's just a bad person that needs to be stopped."

"He killed my parents. He's tried to kill you and Al. Why couldn't I..?" He never finished the sentence but I knew what he was asking. I looked down to our hands I was only holding him with my real one I grabbed his fingers with my automail one and started to pry the gun lose form him.

"You didn't because you can't. Winston you helped deliver a baby, you saved both of their lives, you gave me my arm and leg. You r hands aren't meant for killing, they're meant for saving people." once the gun was lose from his hands I pulled him into a hug and started rubbing circles on his back with my automail trying to calm my mechanic. An officer walked up to us and I passed him the gun. "Can you take him some place safe?" I asked. I broke the hug and took off my red jacket. "Al is still out there and he needs my help." I put the jacket on him. "It's a bit small on you but I will be back for that and that's a promise." I stood to leave him with the officers. I put my back to him and took down the road the same way Al and Scar went.

 **Hey guys, wow this chapter is super long in the manga so that's why I've had to break it down in so many parts. Next chapter I'll be seeing you guys with Ed at the train station fighting Scar and meeting Gluttony. See you next time and like always feel free to comment and suggest.**


	39. Caught one

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

I followed the destruction and transmutation sites to find my brother, it seemed that he was leading Scar to the edge of Central away from the people and crowded areas. I was getting closer to them in the distance I could here Scar's voice, I followed it knowing it would lead me to my brother. I saw them they were just standing there and talking. I felt the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, _'get out of there Al, get out.'_ My feet started dancing on spot Scar reached out his arm and touched the wall that was beside him, smoke started pouring around them, I charged kick out right in front of Al in case the murderer was there. It was pure luck that I actually hit him. It didn't do much but it got distance in between the two.

"You really know how to make an entrance." Al joked from beside me. "How's Winston?"

"The police are taking care of him right now, but can you believe it he was crying again."

"He just found out his parents where murdered, and saw his best friend covered in blood." Al reasoned with me.

"It my defence most of this is-"

"Yours." Al cut me off. I found it relaxing taking a bit of comfort in talking to my brother like nothing was wrong. I looked to Scar he had a confused look on his face like he couldn't understand what was going on.

"So you are a girl." The Ishvalan man said standing up. I breathed out a laugh shaking my head.

"Just catching on now? What about East city when Al screamed 'Sister!'?" I asked the apparently slow minded Ishvalan.

"It doesn't change anything you are still the military's dog, or should I say bitch?" The man asked taunting me. I smirked I readied my battle stance, the three of us were just waiting for the next person to make a move. I was about to rush the man when I heard an eerie voice that I couldn't find where it was coming from.

"I have found you!" the voice sounded like a child, but why would a child be looking for any of us? I felt the ground shake as if something heavy landed on it. Scar whipped his head around to meet the threat, it was a blob, no it wasn't it was a person. I cringed as it stuck out his tongue, wait that's an uroborus tattoo he's a homunculus?

"It's homunculus Hawkeye mentioned." Al whispered to me _'About damn time.'_ I thought trying to figure out how we were going to capture the fat creature. He charged Scar and he dodged touching his back. Blood spurted out of the homunculus eyes and mouth but it didn't seam to faze him.

"Dammit Ling said he was going to capture it first! What Bullshit." I ran to prevent Scar from killing the thing. "Where the hell id he!" I yelled not looking for any answer in particular. My strides got longer moving faster trying to prevent them from killing each other. I was about to reach them when a man hole cover flew up off to the hole. I skidded to a stop to see Ling jump out of the hole shirtless, my heart jump and speed up a little at the site of the teenager, worry also filled my heart he was covered in blood and was alone, _'where was Lan Fan?'_ Ling landed on the homunculi and pulled the pin out of a bomb he quickly shoved it in his mouth removing his hand just as quick. Ling jumped on me knocking me down while yelling to the others

"Get down." I turned my head looking to Ling, he was angry I saw nothing but rage in his eyes. A deafening explosion went off and Ling quickly pushed himself off of me. I looked and parts of the homunculi where everywhere, his jaw landed close to my feet I saw it evaporate right before my eyes. Where he was before the explosion stood two legs and a lower body regrowing themselves, if it wasn't a life or death situation I would have freaked out more. Ling took out his sword standing in front of me once again.

"Metal wire!" He yelled. It took me a split second to realize that he was talking to me, I ran tripping over myself to the train tracks once I got there I clapped my hands transmuting them into a metal cable. I gave it to the young man who quickly wrapped up the almost fully repaired blob. "The problem is he regenerates to fast. When his flesh grows back, those wires will press hard against it." Ling tied the knot tightly and said lower almost inaudible. "I've got you homunculus." His voice was filled with the same anger his eyes held. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"You got it." I said almost in a sate of non belief.

"I kept my end of the agreement." Ling said wiping the sweat from his face. "Here's the homunculus." I ran up to him and hugged him.

"You did it are you alright?"

"Most of this isn't mine." He said. He was breathing heavily, and I started laughing mainly because we were all still alive, ' _take that Colonel.'_ I heard the sound of screeching tires that made me snap my head into the direction, it was a car with a blond woman driving it, the park was parked close to us and a shot rang out from the driver. Scar let out a gasp of pain holding his leg, I looked back in forth not understanding what was going on.

"Get on." She ordered to Ling. I looked at her studying her face, _'wait was that Hawkeye!'_ it's strange what glasses can do to a person. Ling picked up the homunculus stressing everyone of his mussels and loaded it into the back seat of the car He jumped in right afterwards.

"Before we go anywhere we are going to make a stop." He ordered the first Lieutenant. She threw the car in drive without even saying anything to us. I heard footsteps running up behind us. I held my hand out to keep Al from chasing after them.

"Pretend we don't know her little brother. The Colonel may be an ass but we can trust him. Now let's finish what we started." I turned my back on the speeding car and ran to Scar punching his face with my automail. He destroyed the ground around him making me back away.

"We have to capture him, we needs to be brought to justice." Al said and I couldn't agree more. I clapped my hands to attack him again when I was kicked in the face by a tiny person. I stood back up and glared at her.

"What were you going to do to Scar shrimp!?" The small girl with long braids yelled.

"What did you say shrimp?!" I yelled back at her trying not to kill a little girl

"Little girl get out of the way!" One of the soldiers yelled, for a split second I thought they were talking to me. From nowhere she pulled out knives and threw them at the water tower and something that had danger written on it. At the same time she drew a circle on the ground with her foot. After she completed the drawing she dove down and touched the circle with her hand and the water tower and the explosives exploded filling the area in smoke.

"What the hell was that?" I asked looking for an answer. I stood still waiting for the smoke to clear out, I closed my eyes and sighed once the area was cleared I asked out loud. "Could someone give us a lift back to Central?"

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

I wasn't having the best day, I was recapping the day in my mind and the only good thing that happened was that we caught a homunculus.

"Go inside." I looked to Al and his new found pet, I held back a growl and focused on where we were heading our escort lead us to a room and then left. _'nice talking to you.'_ I opened it to see Winston pacing in the room. When he saw us you could see the stress just evaporate.

"You're alive." He said then pulled me into a hug. I felt my face get warm very quickly, Winston broke the hug with his face just as red. "Your jacket is on the table." He said trying to sound cool. I went to pick it up when I saw that there was someone else in the room, King Bradley.

"King Bradley." I said as soon as I thought it.

"Nice to see you again Fullmetal Alchemist." He greeted us then took a sip from his tea.

"What are you doing here?" I asked not trying to sound rude.

"Well I heard that some of the soldiers were protecting your friend so I decided to keep him company. You two are very important so I must threat him well." He said standing up and leaving the room. I pulled the door shut and looked to Winston.

"What did you talk about?" Trying to figure out why the fuhrer would be interested in him.

"Nothing I just told him how we're friends and how we used to play together." He said sounding offended. "Now about my parents. How long have you known?"

"Remember when I got kidnapped by Armstrong?" He nodded. Well since then."

"You said you where going to tell me everything start talking." Winston said sitting down in a chair. I pressed my face into my hands and took a breath I was about to start when a medic came in.

"I was told by the fuhrer that there was someone that needed medical attention." He was a younger man but still older then us. I waved to him to let him know that that would be me. When he started working on me I told Winston everything about his parents that I learned on my trip, the more I got into the story the more I could see Winston shut us out. It was a quiet ride to the train station. He hasn't said anything in over half an hour and trying to get him to talk was like pulling teeth. He was leaning out the window still not saying anything. I grabbed my elbow trying to figure out what to say.

"Don't forget to take care of your automail." I smiled and nodded.

"Okay." trying to figure out how to keep him talking.

"Next time I'll bring better oil Al." He took a breath. "And one more thing, don't die." The train whistle blew and the train started moving.

"Next time I-" I was cut off by the loud noise.

"What I didn't hear you!" He yelled.

"Next time I make you cry, you'll be crying tears of happiness! Al and I will regain our bodies and make you proud! Don't forget that!" The train left the station and Al and I left to go back to our hotel room so I could change my clothes.

I did a quick change so we could find a restaurant to have dinner at. Once we left the hotel a white car pulled up and stopped right in our way.

"Hey look buddy I've had a long day so if you wouldn't mind." I said glade I didn't scream it at the man. The window rolled down to reveal the Colonel. I climbed into the back seat no question asked and Al followed climbed in after me. Mustang started driving and for the first few minutes it was done in silence.

"We let Scar escape." I said ashamed I was beaten by a child. Mustang shrugged his shoulders.

"It happens." I looked outside the window to see if I recognized where we were heading but I didn't.

"Where's the homunculus?" I asked trying to fill the silence.

"He's in an abandon shack outside of town, that's where I'm taking us." Mustang turned his head so he could see out the back window and winced. "check to see if anyone is following us."

"Okay." I turned my back to him and looked behind us to see if there was anyone. "Should you be driving with your injury?" I asked still not knowing how badly he was hurt.

"We don't really have much of a choice." The car stopped on the side of the street.

"Hate to break it to you Mustang but we are still in town."

"I have to get someone just stay in the car." We waited while Mustang talked to the doctor that pronounced Ross dead, after a few minutes the two men came to the car and we were on the road again. Mustang was the one to break the silence this time.

"Ed this is Doctor Knox, you can trust this man." He said that and only that. I took a breath a sighed. "It would be helpful to have a doctor that knew about your condition." He added. I growled at him and sighed again.

"Dr. Knox I'm a girl pretending to be a boy so I can fix our bodies." I finished with gesturing to Al and myself.

"Is there anything else I should know?" Knox asked from the front seat.

"Tell anyone and I'll come after you." I ended with a smile

"You are getting me into some deep shit here Roy." Knox said rubbing his hand over his face.

"Tell me about it." The Colonel agreed and the second we were out of town he floored it and the car sped off down the dirt road. I kept thinking on why we needed a doctor, was ling badly hurt or were they going to dissect the homunculus before I could interrogate it. I couldn't wait until we got to the shack to figure out what was going on.

 **Hey guys long time no see. So that was the new chapter hoped you liked it. I'll see you next time in the shack with Ed and the others. Feel free to comment and suggest and I'll see you next time.**


	40. Gluttony

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

Dr. Knox ran into the house the second the car stopped, I pulled open the door to have an arm block me from leaving. I looked down at the arm then up to Mustang.

"There's something you have to know before you go in there." He said with nothing but seriousness in his voice. I pulled the door shut and looked him right in his dark eyes. "You know that Ling took the homunculus with Hawkeye and escaped." I nodded trying to find where he was going with this point. "On the way Ling made Hawkeye stop to pick someone up, it was Lan Fan his bodyguard. She lost her arm and a lot of blood." It felt like someone dropped ice into my stomach, I new why he was telling me about this now, he wanted someone who has been through the experience to help comfort Ling or maybe it was because he didn't want me to have an episode. "Ling seems pretty upset about it according to Hawkeye and Hughes."

"Wait why is Hughes here?" I asked trying to figure out how the father got into this situation.

"It used to be his family's old summer home." Mustang brushed off my question. "Do you have any other questions Ed?" I lightly shook my head and pushed the door open, I pulled myself out into the cold night air. Taking a deep breath I walked into the shack that used to be a summer home. I got to the door and was meet with Hughes gasping for air like he just ran a marathon.

"Oh... hi Edelle." He gasped out he was leaning heavily on the door frame. "That's a lot of blood" I put a comforting hand on his back.

"Not everyone can deal with that." I told the Lt. Colonel. He gave a nod and I walked into the dimly lightened shack. Besides boards creaking every time someone took a step I could also hear Hawkeye and Dr Knox talking and whimpering like a small animal. I walked passed the source of the talking and found Ling sitting right outside of the room, he didn't even move his head he had his eyes fixed on the opposite wall.

"Hey Ed, Hey Al." He sounded like his whole world was crashing down around him. I sat next to him and leaned into his body touching our shoulders against one another.

"How did you know it was us." I asked softly trying to get his mind off of the current situation.

"Don't play dumb I heard Alphonse from outside." At that point I realized that I have gotten used to the sounds out my brothers clanking armour that I don't even hear it any more, I couldn't tell whether or not that was a bad thing. I looked at Ling long and hard, his cuts were bandaged and covered he also had a long black coat that looked like it was too big for him I held back a smile thinking about Hughes. A loud whimper came from the other room and Ling clenched his fist tighter.

"I'm sorry." Looking at the injured teen and his friend.

"Don't be." He shrugged off. That got me mad, twice in one night I was brushed off or dismissed too easily.

"I should be if it wasn't for me-" I felt a hand touch my leg and lightly squeezed it making me stop talking.

"It's not your fault. I told you that we are in the same boat, I came up with the plan. We are helping each other for our own purposes, so don't feel sorry. I knew the price of immortality when I left my country and if I wasn't serious about it I would never have left. But I was still too naive." He took his hand off my lap and ran it through his hair. "Lan Fan knew the cost going in and she understands much more then I do." I put my hand on his lap this time and rubbed his leg up and down trying to sooth him. "How much did it hurt when you lost yours?" He asked. I shook my head.

"If I can't blame myself then you can't either."

"I'm her prince I have to take responsibility for my people." _'wait he's a prince?'_ I took a breath and looked at the prince whose head was now resting in his hands on his lap.

"It hurt a lot." I started remembering the night. "But I didn't experience the pain of losing them just the blood lose itself, I mean it did, they do hurt my stumps where they used to be, I mean I remember throwing up but I don't remember if it was due to the pain or the shock." I heard Al stand up and leave and a pair of footsteps walking closer to us. "then there was the automail surgery that most fully grown men won't do and the rehabilitation afterwards." I looked to ling and he looked worse then when I started. "But even through all of the pain that I suffered through and the loss I never regretted loosing my limbs. My brother is alive because of this sacrifice and if I was given the choice to do it all over again I wouldn't change anything."

"Why did you do it in the first place?" That question hit me hard, it was such a natural thing for me to do when I didn't it.

"Because I love my family more than anything in the world I would do anything for them, and because I was desperate I would have given anything thing if it meant that my little brother would live." I told him the truth not knowing if he really wanted to know some beautiful lie instead. He let out a sad laugh and lifted his head out of his hands.

"Lan Fan and you share so much in common, it's almost scary." He put his head on my shoulder expecting to find comfort and not cold automail. He didn't move his head like I expected him too he just kept it there and somehow my hand ended up holding him closer to me. I took a calming breath and listened to his heart beat for a while not realizing all the other noises in the shack had stopped. The sounds of someone clearing his throat made the prince and I jump I looked up to see Mustang and Hughes standing there. I felt my face get red that made my jacket look pink.

"Lan Fan is asking for you Ed." Mustang said looking right at me, I ducked my head and stood up leaving the two men alone, in the door frame I saw Lan Fan lying pale on the bed I looked at Al and Hawkeye who where also in the room they didn't seem to concerned so I walked in with the purpose of giving her Winston's information it get automail.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV ROY**

I glared at the young prince knowing that Edelle wouldn't see this or know what happened. I took a breath and walked closer to him.

"First of all I don't think that we were introduced, my name is Colonel Mustang also known as the flame alchemist."

"Ling Yao, 12th son of the emperor in Xing." The young prince introduced himself.

"I'm also Edelle's superior officer. I don't know what intentions you have involving Edelle, but if you end up hurting her in any way I'll come after you." I said the same tone I gave Havoc when he questioned Ed. "I mean it Edelle is young, loyal and rash, she doesn't always think things through because she is to busy focusing on what is happening at the moment, so if you have any intentions of harming her or using just so you can gain immortality leave now, I won't let you hurt her that way." I finished using my Colonel voice something I only used with my subordinates.

"Strange way to treat someone who helped you recently." The prince countered.

"Don't get me wrong I'm thankful for what you did for Ross, but I still mean what I said just now."

"I've never been threatened by a Colonel before." Ling said laughing in a way.

"Trust me you get used to it." Hughes said on my right, I looked at him asking him when with my eyebrows. There was a knock behind us and the three of us jumps all reaching for weapons that weren't present. I saw the noise make, it was Ed she wasn't making eye contact with us but still looked in our direction.

"She's asking for you now Ling." Ed said quietly and the prince stood walking to my major. Hughes grabbed my arm pulling me away from the two teens. I looked at him and he was biting back a laugh.

"What's so funny?" I asked wanting to know what could bring a mature adult to laughter in that conversation.

"Nice way to great the boyfriend Dad." Hughes said. It left me more confused then before.

"What? I'm not her father." I tried to defend myself.

" 'If you end up hurting her in any way I'll come after you.'" He said trying to impersonate me I assumed. "Yeah no, that's something you say to all of your subordinates. I wonder how many of Havoc's girlfriends did you tell that to?"

"Ed's not like Havoc. Edelle is too loyal, even to her own family, she has no regards to her own safety if someone she loves is in danger. She'll get hurt in the end no matter what happens here the only question is when." I said seeing how Ling will break her heart one day and I could've prevented it. We stood in silence for a few seconds with Hughes fidgeting with his sling for a bit, I sighed at that and decided it was time that he pull out for this adventure.

"Remember in the hospital when you said you didn't want to get in too deep." I broke the silence.

"I do because it was less then a week ago! Roy I get stuff is happening and you don't want to be on the sidelines but if you keep going like this you are going to end up in the hospital again or six feet under." I smiled at his concern.

"You know I can't sit on the sidelines Maes." That caused him to look down and play with the sling a little more scoffing at what I said.

"Just remember my warning and I'll see you at the office when you get better, I mean it I'm due back before you are so if you show up before I do I'll drag you back to the hospital myself." He stuck out his left hand to shake I grabbed it and pulled him in closer for a hug be cautious about his right shoulder.

"You know me." I responded.

"That's why I threatened." Maes said having the last word of the conversation.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV ED**

Lan Fan fell asleep quickly after knowing for sure the prince was safe, Ling left just as soon as she was asleep and judging on how fast he was walking he wanted to get revenge. Al and I followed at a slower pace, each one of Al's steps echoing in the hall.

"You know I've forgotten how loud you where." I sad trying to start conversation.

"I'm loud listen to yourself every now and again, you go from ninja to elephant in under a second." My little brother countered, I playfully bumped into him and walked a little faster with a smile on my face. Apparently there was a party happening in the garage, Ling Mustang and Dr Knox were all standing in the doorway.

"Maes Hughes was almost killed by one." Mustang said, I didn't even need context to know that he was talking about the homunculus.

"You said higher levels." Ling said.

"What about it?" Mustang asked.

"King Bradley." Ling answered. It was like a match of ping pong watching the two go back and forth like that. "That guy might be a homunculus." He finished without as much confidence as he started with. The four of us stood in shock looking at the teenage boy. "He had a tattoo on his bad eye, and he chased us with the homunculus." Ling defended the idea that no one else agreed with.

"That's impossible! I mean even if it was someone in his family would have noticed." I said trying to make sense of what was going on. I remembered when Al and I joked about that and now it might actually be true.

"He didn't have the same aura as the other ones, he felt human."

"The book said homunculi can't reproduce and King Bradley has a child." Al pointed out disproving the theory. Mustang said nothing but he was in deep though if you looked close enough you could see the gears in his head turning.

"Selim Bradley was adopted." Knox said. _'That was very convenient information to have.'_ I thought sarcasticly in my head.

"Ha!" Mustang exclaimed bringing me out of my head. "Monster or human, whatever he is, it now seems much easier to kick the fuhrer off of his throne." He had an evil sound to his voice that I didn't like. "First I have to get information from this homunculus. And if we can get it out we can have his philosopher's stone as well." We all looked to the tied creature. "Maybe I could use it to fix my officer." Mustang said almost under his breath.

"Hey!" Ling yelled hearing what Mustang said. "Lan Fan lost her arm to get him as far as I'm concerned that thing is coming back to Xing with me first thing tomorrow." Ling was determined when he said that, it made me mad.

"Hey we had a deal, and we've been trying to restore our bodies longer then both of you had your problems." I yelled at both of them. "Ling you aren't sneaking away with that."

"That's right, it's going to be hard to smuggle that over the borders." Mustang said trying to be his manipulative self.

"Before this gets worse can I leave now Mustang?" Knox asked.

"No way this might come down to majority vote and I need you hear for that." He said.

"Adults I can't stand them!" Not believing what just happened.

"I should get him, the emperor could die before I get the homunculus to him. Ed I need him for my country." Ling said looking at me with his dark black eyes. For a second I was tempted to give it to him, I mean we could always capture another one right?

"What did I tell you about using her." Mustang snapped me out of my head once more.

"I don't see why you think it's wrong you use people all of the time."

"I've never used her!" The two black haired men where yelling about me?

"Wait both of you have just been using me this whole time?" I asked the two of them stopping the argument.

"Ed I can-" Mustang started but I stopped him. I looked to Ling.

"He's my boss I can understand him but I thought you like me. Has this been a lie from the beginning?" I asked voice getting higher and louder with each word.

"Ed-" Mustang tried again.

"No Mustang don't try to defend him."

"Mustang... Colonel Mustang... Colonel Mustang killed Lust!" The child like voice said from the garage making all of us stop yelling and look at the monster in the room. The wire was stretched to it's limits and and heard the cable snap and all of the oxygen get sucked from the room.

 **Happy 40 chapters everybody! I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed or read this story. I didn't expect this many people when I started writing it so you guys really surprised me. So thank you guys and I will see you next chapter in the woods Ed v.s. Gluttony. And Sorry for the wait between post, there's nothing to explain it expect I have gotten into a new fandom so it demanded my soul for a little bit. But it's great to be writing this again and hopefully here's to another 40 chapters.**


	41. Fuhrer the Homunculus

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

"Colonel!" I heard Hawkeye call out in the distance, I knew she wasn't calling for me but the panic in her voice made me respond anyway. I found my arms under me so I pushed myself up hoping to be able to get up, instead my head was meet with metal and a loud clang rang out after the contact. I dropped back to the ground and looked up to see that Alphonse was right on top of me, not to crush me but to protect me from something.

"Hey little brother?" I asked trying to get his attention.

"Don't come in Lt.!" Mustang yelled back. I arched my eyebrows trying to remember what happened but then I felt the air get sucked out of the room again and everything fell into place, the homunculus.

"Al we should probably get out of here." I said pushing him off of me the best that I could. I heard Mustang yell something about it being mad at him, that caused Al to grab my arm and drag me away at the last second to avoid being trapped in the line of fire. I finally got a good look at the monster, let's just say that he fit the word now. He didn't have a lower jaw but he still had the teeth, his stomach was black with an eye right in the centre and long tusks surrounding it.

"What kind of alchemy is this?" I asked trying to figure out who would make a creature like that. It was like watching a horror movie I couldn't move and sounds where coming in hazey at best. I saw Mustang walk up to the beast and snapped his fingers, trying to kill it the same way he killed Lust, no one expected him to eat the flame like it was nothing. I didn't need to be told I took off running hoping that Al was following me, apparently so was Mustang. I looked up and saw the edge of the forest getting closer too us. "Run to the forest, then scatter." I found myself saying, it couldn't chase all of us at once. I stayed straight and Al and Mustang broke off to my left and right, I kept my eyes on what was in front of me and tried to come up with another plan. I heard gunshots go off on my right and felt myself running to them knowing that it was the Colonel and the Lieutenant, as I got closer I heard a grunt and the sound of a body hitting the ground. _'did Hawkeye shoot him to increase our chances?'_ I thought but dismissed it quickly knowing that she would never do that. When I found him he was kneeling on the ground holding his injured side. "Mustang are you okay?" I asked trying to help him stand, he was pretty much dead weight.

"Yeah I'll be fine." He said sounding breathless leaning more on me. "Nope, I can't put me down." I did what he said trying to be careful. "Ed it wants me, just leave now and save yourself."

"Oh since when are you Mr self-sacrifice? Remember you are going to be fuhrer, and you can't do that if you're dead." I tried to pull him back up again but his muscles tightened and I stopped moving and started to listen. Twigs were snapping and the sound was coming closer, there was also the sound of clanking metal approaching as well. "Calm down it's just Alphonse. Now you have an option walk out of here on your own free will, or I have Al carry you out like a baby." I gave him the options he glared at me as if I was missing something obvious.

"Edelle don't you realise that that thing wont stop unless it thinks that I'm dead? So I'll give you an option walk away on your own two feet or I'll make Al carry _you_ out." Mustang retorted, I studied him, he was holding his right side tightly with both hands and he was panting trying to breath through the pain. I heard a gasp and turned to see Hawkeye and Alphonse there, perfect.

"Sorry Mustang you aren't dying on me." I clapped my hands to bring the earth up to around his height and size, then I roughly grabbed his coat off of his body and threw it on the little hill. "Hawkeye could you grab your stubborn boss before he gets himself killed, Al I need grass." I ordered the two. With Hawkeye dragging her boss to his feet and the Mustang dummy complete we made our escape to the cabin. The trek through the woods wasn't easy as it was the first time and Mustang keep tripping on roots and stones, by the time that we got out of the woods both Al and Hawkeye were supporting him and I had the back making sure he wasn't following us. We where almost at the car when we heard the monster cry out in the woods. "Let's hope it worked." I said under my breath. They setttled Mustang down in the front seat of the car he drove us here in. Ling was standing by the back window talking to Lan Fan trying to keep her concious. Hawkeye opened the back door and laid Lan Fan down with her head on her lap.

"I can't run away while this is happening." Mustang said trying to stand up. I pushed him down and shut the door on him.

"To bad! You are a burden right know! Come back later when you can walk on your own!" I yelled at him.

"You are pretty useless sir." Hawkeye said from the back seat. At that Mustang hung his head in defeat, I winced that might have been to much for him to hear right now.

"Listen, the fuhrer is a homunculus you can't just ignore that." I said and he raised his head with his eyes set on something.

"Okay enough with the chatting get on!" Knox called from the drivers seat. I looked into the full car, I looked to Ling and Alphonse and smirked.

"Sorry, looks full to me." I said shrugging my shoulders.

"Bastards." Knox muttered under his breath and started the engine.

"We can't leave children on the battle ground!" Hawkeye yelled from the back seat.

"Look I'm no expert but you have something more important to do? Isn't the fuhrer an enemy?" Ling asked twirling his sword into the dirt.

"Listen we'll get information out of gluttony. The fact that we are children should have nothing to do with it." I said Hawkeye let out a sigh and shook her head reloading her gun. "We planned this fight and we are going to finish what we started." Ling propped his sword onto his shoulder, I nodded at turned to face the forest.

"Edelle." Hawkeye called to me. I stopped and turned to see her offering me the gun that she reloaded. "Take it." I reached for the handle but every part of me screamed to not. "Do you know how to use it?" She asked I still didn't grab the gun yet.

"That's a machine for killing." Al said from behind me.

"It's also a machine for survival." When she said that I was taken back to when Winston asked me not to die. I pushed my bangs from my face and grabbed the hilt of the gun.

"I'll borrow it for a bit." I said tucking the gun in the back of my pants. Ling walked up to the car and leaned in the window.

"Please take care of Lan Fan." I heard a weak voice call out for her master, and I felt a pang of jealousy that he was more concerned for someone who was leaving the battle field and not someone whose about to face a monster. I shook my head dismissing those thoughts, because she just lost an arm and he has every right to be worried. I turned back to face the forest and started running Alphonse and Ling following right behind me.

It wasn't hard to find Gluttony, he keep crying out for Mustang and destroying sections of the forest. We got up behind him without being noticed.

"How do we do this." Al asked hiding behind a tree that was way to small to cover him.

"If it would just revert back to it's normal state then I could beat it again." Ling whispered.

"Yeah but how do we do that?" I snapped back in a hushed whisper.

"Maybe we should feed him Mustang." Ling offered as a joke but my glare changed his attitude. Gluttony must have heard us because without a sec thought he turned our way making us run to a safe distance. The trees that we where hiding behind disappeared leaving nothing but a clean cut straight though the wood.

"Where does the stuff go when he eats it?" I asked panicked that if where a second to late that could have been us.

"How should I know!?" Ling yelled back at me.

"Does it really matter?!" Alphonse called from over Ling's shoulder. I rubbed my temples with my hands trying to get a grasp on the situation when Al's little cat thing started to hiss at something in the tree line. Ling drew his sword and held it in the direction I looked to find a dog on the hill looking down at us. _'What the hell is a dog doing in the middle of the forest?'_ I was trying to figure why he was there when it spoke.

"Stop it Gluttony." _'Wait a minute I know that voice.'_

"Ed the dog just spoke." Ling said taken back by the impossible dog.

"Yeah I heard it." I snapped at him.

"It's you from before." The dog said once more, then it's back arched and it's black fur turned into pale skin. The creature keep shifting until it was in a humans form and not any form but Envy. _'another homunculus great.'_ I could feel my eyes roll at what was happening. "Nice to see you again Fullmetal-bean." _'that does it.'_ Without a second thought I charged Envy and kicked at his head.

"Who did you call a miniature plankton flea sized itty bitty little bean!" I yelled as my foot made contact with the tree. Envy put up his hands to signal surrender.

"I'm not here to fight you." I felt hard metal hands pull me back.

"Don't provoke him Onēsan."Alphonse said trying to calm me down. I took a deep breath and watched as Gluttony and Envy talked to each other.

"Hey squinty-eyes." Envy called out to Ling.

"Come to capture me?" Wait those two know each other?

"Not today, I'm here to pick him up." The homunculus said patting Gluttony's head. "But you keep getting in the way. Gluttony you can't eat the flame alchemist or the Elrics but feel free to eat Mr. Squinty-eyes over there." Envy ordered. I couldn't help but smirk.

"You hear that brother, they aren't after us right now."

"And Gluttony has calmed down a bit." I made eye contact with Al. We both clapped our hands at the same time making a wall between Gluttony and Envy.

"You take care of him." I yelled to Ling as we charged the fat one.

I could say that our fight was going well but I could also say we won by a landslide. In theory it worked his size put him at a disadvantage to us, but he wasn't human so normal rules don't apply to him. If only I remembered that before he sent Al and myself flying to the wall we made to divide the fight.

"Hey don't get in the way." Ling said as he easily cut off Envy's leg. _'nice to see we gave him the easy fight.'_ I thought bitterly to myself. Al was trying to keep Gluttony away so I was watching Ling to see if I could help him. He got himself on top of Envy and was about to stab him again when Envy shifted into Lan Fan's form. Ling froze mid swing and Gluttony went to attack him. It was a split second decision that I made I charged Ling to push him out of the way to save his life. It was a chain of events I tackled Ling out of the way and I felt Envy grab my ankle. I heard yelling and felt the air get sucked from the surrounding area, then saw nothing but black.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

 **POV ROY**

It was harder then I thought to get ride of Hawkeye at the front gates but I eventually did get rid of her. I didn't even know how to start to overturn the fuhrer, I pressed my head against the wall trying to find the answers.

"What did I tell you?" I heard a familiar voice ask, I leaned away from the wall to see who it was and I wasn't surprised in the least. Hughes was standing there in full military uniform.

"Thank God you are here Maes I need help." I said hugging my best friend. "Or are you about to drag me back to the hospital."

"I told you I would do that if you came back before I did, well I got here first." He smiled. We walked down the halls of Central in silence until we got to a secluded area. "I need you to tell me everything now."

"The fuhrer is a homunculus, and I have no idea what to do." I admitted.

"You are going to need people who believe and support you, every person counts."

"God you sound so cheesy do you hear the words you are saying right now?" I started laughing and soon Maes joined in.

"Hey you sound crazy, 'the fuhrer is a homunculus.'" He impersonated me again. We laughed louder this time when some one walked up to us.

"That's a pretty funny joke the fuhrer is a homunculus." Maes and I snapped our heads to look at the General talking to us, we jumped to attention and saluted causing him to laugh more. "At ease men." he said between laughs. "I was on a way to a meeting and I'm sure some of the upper brass would love to hear the joke follow me." Maes and I grimaced at that and followed the General listening to him talk about nothing of importance Maes and I sharing glances. When we got to the double doors the General opened them to a room filled with the upper brass. I took a deep breath and walked into the room Maes followed. All of the men in the room stopped to look at us. "So Mustang why don't repeat your joke." I heard the sounds of footsteps approaching from the far end of the room and saw the fuhrer walk in.

"Yes tell me the joke about the fuhrer being a homunculus." King Bradley said. I looked around the room and realized that Hughes was trying to tell me something that the danger was from the higher ranks, was that what he found out when he was attacked. I looked to him to see panic on his face.

"It was just a rumour I heard on the streets, I was telling Hughes about it when the General found us." I reported.

"Is that true Lieutenant Colonel Hughes?" I shot Maes a glare from the corner of my eye.

"Yes, this is the first that I've ever heard of it." Maes reported.

"Colonel Mustang come with me, everyone else is dismissed." King Bradley ordered. Everyone stood and left leaving me with the monster in charge of my country.

 **Hey guys not the longest break between updates but still pretty long. I'm about to start school again so I don't know when they will be possible but the will happen. Could anyone suggest any really good fan fictions (filled with angst please) from Avatar the last Airbender or Supernatural or Buffy, I'm just looking for a good read. I'll see you guys next time inside of Gluttony.**


	42. Ed Ling and Envy

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

I woke up with the smell of metal heavy in my nose, I was on my back laying in water or something. I clenched my fist to see if my hands would move then I flexed my toes, everything seamed to be working. I saw darkness all around me but I couldn't figure out where I was or where Ling was, the last thing I remembered was that Gluttony was about to... I something drop in my stomach when the realization hit me, I was eaten. I brought my hand to my mouth and tried to think when I smelt it, the metal smell was coming from the water but it wasn't water it was blood. It was suddenly too quiet to deal with I could only hear the blood rushing in my ears and my heart beat quicken.

"Hey is anyone there?!" I yelled looking in the darkness for any sings of life, I waded through the knee deep blood passing broken marble statues and columns. "Ling!" I yelled trying to get a response. "WHERE THE HELL AM I!" I saw light in the distance so I walked to it hoping to find anything, an exit another person. After what felt like forever the blood level lowered so know it was only around ankle height instead of around my knees. _'When I get out of here I'm burning everything I'm wearing.'_ It was lonely and no one was in sight, I looked up to see if there were any stars out but the sky was black the only light was coming from the fire. _'Where is everyone? I would even be happy with Gluttony maybe he could answer my questions at least.'_ "AL!" I called wondering if my little brother found his way into this hell. "Gluttony! Hell I'll even deal with that idiot prince right now." I muttered that last part but apparently it was still heard.

"Tell me if I'm wrong but idiot isn't a complement in your country now is it." I turned to the voice to see Ling standing in blood soaked pants holding a torch for light.

"It isn't but else do you call someone who lets himself get eaten?" I asked the prince. He smiled and walked closer to me but then I realized something before we were eaten Envy grabbed my ankle meaning that he is somewhere down here. "Stop before you come any closer how do I know you are you?" just because I was eaten doesn't mean I trust Envy not to try anything.

"You're a girl." He said thinking that was enough.

"Envy can change shape I think that he would know that I was a girl."

"I kissed you after we arrived in Central and I told you that I thought I had a connection with you." The prince tried again, his voice was filled with hope He took a step closer to me.

"And I said that's because you thought I was your type." I took a step in we were an arms distance anyway from each other.

"I'm not sure what my type is any more." He took another step leaning down for a kiss I started to lean up to meet him when I took another smell of the air. I pushed him away.

"Maybe after we get out of wherever we are." I bit my bottom lip and knit my eyebrow together hoping he'll understand, the cold eyes he gave me meant that he didn't.

"Yeah sure." He said starting to walk off, I grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"It's just that I'll feel like we where giving up with we kissed now." I further explained myself. He smiled and shook his head scoffing at me a bit. "Now give me the torch." I took it from with with my automail hand. "What did you use to make it?" I asked then looked down at the handle, it was human bone. I shrieked then dropped it, but before it hit the ground Ling made a quick grab for it.

"I found a skeleton and some wood back there so I decided to make a torch so I wouldn't be in complete darkness." I shivered at the thought of using a dead man as a handle, but that didn't stop Ling as I was thinking about how morbid that was he made me a torch of my own. "Here." He said holding it out to me, I didn't make a move to grab it so he held it closer to me and said. "Grab it with your automail so you don't have to touch it." I eventually gave in and grabbed it from the young prince. We started throwing ideas back and forth trying to find out where we were, the only conclusion we came up with is that we were inside of Gluttony.

"Maybe if we found a wall we could find the way out." Ling suggested I looked around in the darkness trying to find a wall that might not even exist. That's when we realized that we've been walking for hours and haven't met anything yet. Our eyes met apprently he was having the same thoughts. We both ran farther forward trying to reach somewhere anywhere, but there was nothing. Our second plan was to use alchemy and to transmute a tunnel out of there. I clapped my hands together and made a well straight down and just before Ling jumped in I tossed the torch down. We waited for it to hit bottom but after five seconds it sill didn't hit the bottom.

"Wall there has to be a wall somewhere." I said a little too panicked. We both looked forward and sprinted forward getting no closer to any signs of an exit. "Dammit! Why isn't there a wall anywhere in here, no space is infinite." My brain was going over all of the possibilities to why we haven't found a way out. I was scanning the room when I saw something reflect the light of the torch. I looked at the hill to see an armoured glove, Al...Alphonse? I ran to the hill and quickly climbed it, I bent down and examined the armour, it was Alphonse's hand. There was a smooth edge that cut off just above where the wrist is.

"Is that?" Ling asked unsure of how to phrase the sentence.

"It's Al's arm. Just his arm." I was relived that the rest of him wasn't down here with us but he mush still be worried about me. _'Maybe there was some way I could talk to Al, I mean our blood is mixed together and we've already determined that we are connected maybe we could communicate.'_ I grabbed his arm with both of my hands giving Ling my torch, and without thinking I yelled "ELIRC SIBLING TELEPATHY! RECIVE IT LITTLE BROTHER! ELRIC TELEPATHY!" I could hear Ling mutter something about leaving me on my own. I stopped screaming and waiting for some kind of response anything, but nothing came, so taking Al's arm Ling and I pushed forward into the darkness.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

It felt like hours of walking and we still haven't found any wall, I could feel myself getting more and more tired with every step, until one step when I tripped on something on the way down I heard metal hitting metal. Ling caught me before I could fall and face plant into the blood.

"Easy there, do you need a break." I looked at Ling and realized he must have been as tired as I was, I studied his body of a second and realized how defeated he looked.

"Yeah I could use a break." I smiled as he let out a silent sigh of relief, he walked over to a brick wall that was sticking out of the blood. I put my hands on my hips, I frowned when both of them didn't touch my back my automail one wasn't touching it. Using my real hand I reached to see what it was and I found the gun that Hawkeye gave me. I held it in my right hand and fired it right in front of me. Ling jumped at the sudden noise.

"What the hell was that for!" He yelled from his seat.

"Bullets can travel fast then we can run so if I shoot this in different directions well be able to find the closest wall." I explained to him I rotated my body and shot again and again and again.

"There's not sound of it hitting against anything." Ling whined I turned to him and aimed right above his head and shot. He ducked trying to avoid the shot that was no where near him. "Stop shooting!" I tried one more time this time firing into the air and it hit nothing again. I keep firing all around but I quickly ran out of bullets.

"You're right Ling, but that's impossible nothing can be this big." He stood up and we keep on walking in the direction we deemed as forward. It felt like forever I could feel the energy slowly draining from my body.

"It's the sea of blood, it's tiring us faster."

"Just hold on a little longer Ling, there has to be an exit somewhere." My real limbs where as heavy as my automail ones.

"I'm hungry, as soon as I get out of here the first thing I'll want is food."

"I want food and sleep too." I yawned, "Oh crap the fight with Scar, I'm going to have to fix the town." Ling laughed then it turned into a cough, a body shaking wet cough. "Ling?" I turned to see that he was heavily hanging onto a knocked over tree. "Hey, Ling come on it's not that much farther." I walked up to him and gently shook his his body.

"I...can't go on..."

"Ling come on you can't give up now it would be pathetic." I told him "You're going to stop even after it came all this way? Get a hold of yourself!"

"Just go on without me!"

"Fine I will." I yelled and turned around. "I mean it." I took a few more steps away. "Ling I'm serious I'm going to abandon you here." I stopped walking something was keeping me from leaving I turned on last time and looked at Ling's body. I sighed _'Dammit.'_ I walked back to him and lifted him onto my shoulders. He didn't weight much for someone who was constantly eating.

"Weren't you going by yourself?" He sounded so confused that someone would come back for him.

"I have someone waiting for me back home, there's no way I'm dying here with you, and you have someone waiting for you at home and I'm not going to let you disappoint them." I told him.

"I thought it was because you loved me." He muttered. "Edelle do you think we could ever work out, or are we too different?" I didn't answer right away not knowing what to say. "Wait who's waiting for me?" He asked.

"Lan Fan. Can't you tell she's crazy about you." I told him, I thought he knew about her interest in him it was pretty obvious, I was mad that he was pretending that there was nothing in between them.

"She doesn't love me, she's paid to protect me, I'm nothing more than a job to her."

"Then why did she cut off her arm for you?" I yelled back, I could feel my anger fuel my body letting me take farther steps and faster.

"Because if I was to die and they found out about what happened at home she would have been executed for not doing her job." _'Oh.'_

"Great that makes me feel like an -" I didn't finish because twice now in this hell hole I tripped on something sending both Ling and myself into the sea of blood. Luckily we found a large round flat surface to rest on. We both decided that we couldn't go on without food, so with a lot of convincing I got him to eat leather boot, well not the boot exactly but a soup made out of it. We ate and shared stories about our past, it was weird but Ling was telling me about Xingese history and I laughed, in all of this darkness Ling made me laugh. When the silence creped back in I stood up.

"Well break time is over, let's move." I looked to Ling and he was starring at me, "What do I have something on me?" I looked over my body trying to see if there was anything out of place.

"It's nothing, I just find it hard to believe that people keep mistaking you for a boy."

"What do you mean?" I asked putting my hands on my hips.

"That for one thing." He tilted his head at me and I quickly took my hands off of my hips.

"There's a reason why I were a lot of layers, it's not just for style."

"Yeah but how many more years do you have before your body starts really changing?"

"That's why, I'm trying to fix this before people start to notice."

"Why living with automail can't be that bad."

"I'm not doing this for me! I'm doing it for Alphonse!" Ling had nothing to say to that and the eerie silence came back. "Come on let's get moving."

"Ed wait" Ling said.

"Ling I'm not in the mood-" Ling threw his hand over my mouth.

"Shhh something is coming." I listened and could hear someone walking through the blood and it was getting louder.

"I thought I saw a light over here." _'Wait is that Envy?'_ "So it's you guys." Ling and I shared a look. Before I could say anything Ling yelled to Envy.

"Tell us where the exit is!"

"There is no exit! I only intended for you to get eaten squinty eyes now the Fullmetal brat and I are stuck too."

"Eaten... So we really are inside of Gluttony."

"Yes and no, haven't you already guessed where we are." I inhaled so I was right, that weird feeling I got went I was swallowed was real.

"The doors of truth." I said out loud. "But it isn't this, there was no blood and darkness, it was white with doors."

"So that's what the real one looks like." Envy said. He got comfortable and sat on a broken pillar not to far from our island.

"Real one?" I asked the homunculus.

"Father created this, it's a fake door of truth that he made for Gluttony."

"What the hell is this door of truth you keep talking about?" Ling asked but Envy and I ignored him and keep going.

"Even with all of his power Father couldn't create something like that, this whole place is a failure. This place is a place between reality and truth. There is no exit or any escape, no one can get out of here all we can do is to sit and wait for our energy to be drained from our bodies." I could feel my heart dropping with every word there has to be a way out, I had to see Alphonse again.

"Lier!" Ling yelled at him

"There's no way something like that could happen." I yelled to but it didn't have any strength in it.

"Say something Envy tell us it's a lie." He didn't answer but his silence was all I needed.

"No... If I die what will happen to Al? I can't die here I made a promise." I broke down tears started pouring from my eyes and I collapsed to my knees.

"Ed, it's okay it's going to be okay." He was rubbing circles on my back.

"No I don't understand anything why do you need people who've opened the doors, who is your farther and why does he want to open the doors so badly that he tried to create his own? Is it Fuhrer Bradley?" The boys didn't understand me, I went from crying my eyes out to calm and curious in seconds.

"Wow mood swing much, might want to chill out Fullmetal or else people might start thinking you're a girl." Envy said, I couldn't tell if he knew or not but I didn't care.

"Answer my question!" I screamed at him.

"No Bradley is just a little brat like you."

"So is he also a created human?" I asked, if we were stuck down here might as well try to find some information that could help. Envy gave me his sideways smile looked at me.

"Yep." _'Does that mean that everything the Fuhrer has done is connected to this? Think big name something that couldn't possibly be connected to it.'_

"And the Ishvalan civil war?" He didn't change his expression. "Oh my god."

"There will never be a civil war as great as Ishval, do you remember how it started?"

"It was an officer that shot a child by accident." I answered him.

"Oh it wasn't an accident." Envy started to laugh a dark and sick laugh. "I did it, I shot that child and it felt great, I framed a really annoying soldier too, so it was hitting two birds with on really big stone."

"You bastard. You started a war, you destroyed the East, my home town, you created Scar and you kill Winstons parents. IT WAS YOU!" I pulled my automail arm back and jumped off of the platform and rushed him, he didn't move an inch making it an easier target for me. I punched his face letting the full strength of my automail hit him, but when it made contact he didn't even move it was like something was stopping my hand form going any farther.

"So you want to fight?" He asked his voice was cool, but there was something off about his eyes.

"Ed get back here." Ling snapped at me, I moved back not taking my eyes off of Envy.

"We're all doomed anyway." He stood up and started to grow like he was changing into someone,

"Didn't you see his foot prints from when we were fighting?" Ling asked I shot him a glare. "They were deeper then they should have been the same thing happened in Central too. He has an incredibly dense body mass, so his true size must be...huge." Envy was like a car accident I couldn't help but look he grew another set of arms and legs and he grew a tail. His head turned into an animal like form and faces twisted in pain sprouted from his skin around his neck. He was on all eight and looking straight at me with two different coloured eyes. I knew we where screw if I didn't think of a way to win and fast.

 **Hi guys long time no see don't worry I'm not dead just got insanely busy but now I've gotten into the rhythm of the new school year so updates should be happening much quicker then once every other month. So sorry, for the delay. As always feel free to comment and suggest anything, I see you guys soon**


	43. Home free

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

The sounds were overwhelming, the cries from the faces that were sprouting from the creature that once was Envy, the swooshing of the ocean of blood that we were standing in. A tail hit my mid section sending me back, it hurt like getting hit with a broad side of a sword. The monster took a few circling steps trying to plot out his next move. The pain was bad but it wasn't the worst I've had, I almost didn't hear Ling ask for a weapon. I had no trouble making him a sword, out of a sea of blood there was no shortage of iron, I pulled the sword from the ocean and passed it to the prince.

"A little over the top don't you think?" He was flashing me the hilt that had a skull perched on top. I saw him raise his eyebrows and bite back a laugh.

"What skulls are manly." I defended myself. "And I like it." He pulled me closer and kissed my forehead.

"Only you." He laughed shaking his head side to side, I clapped transmuting my automail into my own sword. "Are you okay?" Ling ask and I could feel my face turn red.

"He got a couple of my ribs, what about you?" I returned the question to the young prince.

"Same here, do you think we can handle him?" I bit my bottom lip and shook my head, I had a feeling we couldn't but why not try anyway. I had a feeling I would go out fighting, I just didn't know I wouldn't have at least come closer to accomplishing my goal. "Let's try any way." And with that we dashed to the giant creature. I never thought that Ling would be in a situation like I was willing to give up even though his goal was so far away. It isn't easy to run in ankle deep water but it's doable, running in ankle deep blood is worse, that saying that blood is thicker then water is true it is but I still held my pace charging forward. I didn't get far before that tail of his collided with my face this time, I flew back but Ling continued on. The fight was just back and forth Envy throwing us far as he could, I git lucky and dodged his tail and sprinted to his neck. I was met with a face, it was green and bald, it had sad eyes that were pleading with me, I froze his voice begging me to kill him. My eyes grew as the longer he begged I couldn't do it, he looked so human, then without any warning from his mouth sprouted a new head destroying the one that was there before it and it laughed at me. I backed away from him looking at the other just like him surrounding Envy's neck like a chimeras mane. They were all moaning and begging crying, the one that was laughing at me now had arms and was pushing his self out towards me. A pounding joined the moaning, it was steady like a drum or a heart beat, _'wait is that my heart beat?'_. I yelped the instant a sword was stabbed into the head and a force tackled me to the ground.

"Ed don't look at them." Ling whispered harshly at me. "What's wrong with you, what are you waiting for just go for it." My brain wasn't really processing things all I could think of was that Ling just killed someone in front of me in cold blood.

"they're...people..." The words just slipped from my mouth defending my actions. "They need our help. They're trapped inside of him, we need to help." I hated how pitiful my voice was. I was still starring at the man Ling stabbed in the head, smaller heads began sprouting from it and now joining into the moaning with the others.

"It's a trick Ed. He's a monster." Ling shook my shoulders trying to save my mind from the beast.

"But they.." I didn't finish before a felt a sudden snap on my check. I looked at Ling realizing he just slapped me, his eyes went from enraged to hurt.

"Ed I'm sorry but you have to focus those things are monsters." My head leaned to the side looking back to the monster behind him, Ling grabbed my ears and pressed his forehead into mine. "You have to tune them out okay?" I nodded and got my mind back into the fight.I pressed my flash hand against my ear and swung at the faces beside me, I screamed at it to shut up, and to stop but they just continued, each of them crying about their own problems, all deep voices drowning together. They began to blur back into moans when I heard a soft familiar voice

"Let's play." _'Nina?'_ I stopped searching the mass of faces trying to find the young girl. "let's play Edelle." My mind flashed an image of the chimera the little girl was turned into, heart clenching, _'no she can't be here, not after all she's been through.'_ I could feel a whimpering coming form me I didn't even realize that Envy turned to face me.

"I'm done playing with you." Those words were hardly registered, I was frozen again in the sea of moaning and the one child I couldn't save. It felt like a giant hand grabbed gripped me tight around the waist, I blinked hard to see that's exactly what happened Envy was now lifting me into the air, then I felt the sensation of weightlessness, it wasn't long and I was met with hard stone as my entire body collided with the platform and a sharp pain came from my real arm. I was tossed like a doll no one wanted any more, my vision grew fuzzy as I tracked my automail. The arm fell to my side pointing to something, a lion? I felt like I was about to black out.

"I'm sorry Al." I whispered and closed my eyes, I felt something lift me into the air again, I flinched hoping it wasn't going to drop me again. I could understand what Ling was yelling at me but it seamed important, but it could wait...wait...wake...wake up I opened my eyes to prove that I was still awake and concious, there was a red glow it was small but the light was bright what was it. It looked like a red stone, and all of the creatures seamed to come from it. _'It's his core, the philosopher stone.'_ I laughed at the irony that was my life, right before I die I was within reaching distance of the stone. I tried to grab for it but I couldn't move my left arm without a gasping in pain, it was completely broken. I closed my eyes giving up again when the lion I just saw flashed before me again, and then the ruins from Xerxes, could those have been cut from the same stone? I found the will to live and fought against the pull of the creatures dragging to the centre, when I reached his teeth I kick one out with my automail. It was dark in his jaw without the light of the stone, maybe if I just closed my eyes and went back to the stone, _'NO! I had to do this.'_

"Open up Envy! Your breath is killing me!" I screamed hoping he would hear me. "I think I found a way to get out of here!" I screamed even louder. _'please hear me.'_ "Come on Envy let me out!" My voice was going to be so raw after this that I won't have to fake my guy voice. I free fell to the floor feeling weightless again, I landed in the ocean of blood, I sat up and pulled my left arm to my chest and grunted out a scream. Ling came to me brushing my bangs out of my face.

"Thank god you are okay." He pulled me into a hug crushing my broken arm making my whimper again. "Sorry, sorry, what's wrong?" He helped me stand being careful of my arm.

"Envy broke it when he threw me on the ground." I said through clenched teeth. "Envy you want to get out of hear go find all of the pieces of stones that came from the same one as that one. There from Xerxes if that means anything" I pointed to the lion that was on the platform. He pulled me closer to the platform and helped me climb onto it, Ling somehow found wood in this hell hole a built a fire in the middle of the platform.

"Here let me see it." He said from beside the fire he just lit, I sat down next to him giving him my arm. He had a firm grip on my arm as he slowly moved it closer to my writs, I gasped in pain when he reached the half way point. "Okay Ed close your eyes, this is going to hurt," I closed my eyes and took deep calming breaths when I yelled out in pain before I even processed the pain itself. I opened my eyes to his his small hands quickly tying a splint around my arm. "That should do."

"Thank you Ling." I grabbed my arm closing my hand. There was silence, I didn't know how long it was but it was comfortable after all of the moaning. There were loud thundering steps, Ling and I turned to the noise Envy now had his two front paws, hands? On the remains from Xerxes.

"That's all of it." Envy said, Ling stood up and walked to the stone.

"So you think this is from Xerxes?" I nodded and walked up to behind Ling sharing the torch light Ling had.

"Yup these are fragments from a mural that was in one of there temples." I found flashes of the fifth laboratory and the temple. "When I first saw it up close I thought it looked like the fifth laboratory, the one they used to create philosopher stones." I explained knowing Envy understood what I was saying. "But it's actually different, the sun represents the soul, the moon symbolises the mind, and then there's the stone canvas of the mural." I walked closer and rested my automail on the stone, I didn't know if they where following what was saying but that wasn't my problem. "This represents the body." Apparently they were pretty far behind because Ling asked me to slow down and to stick to the basics. "The mural was a summoning circle, for human transmutation." I said as simply as I could

"That I do know, well I think I do, is that used to bring back dead people?" He was blunt about it, it stung how he didn't know how serious human transmutation was to me.

"Not quite." The incident at my old house pressed its way into the front of my head. "Alchemy is based on the rule of equivalent exchange, you transmute a life form from a human soul that no longer exists in this world." I left it at that and Ling looked like he wanted to ask something but I cut him off. "Trust me on that." I insisted "So this is where I got the idea to get us out of here. I can't transmute the dead, but what would happen if I transmuted myself?"

"You mean a living person?" Ling sounded confused.

"Exactly I can use this transmutation circle to de-construct myself, then I'll just put myself back together, that's human transmutation and it'll open the portal." Those doors, in the white room and the truth sitting glaring at me grinning at my foolish mistake. "You said that Gluttony is a defective portal of truth I bet that if we pass through the real portal we'll be realigned with our reality. I'll open up the real portal, then you two jump through it." I didn't like the sound of the plain there was too many places it could go wrong.

"But what if it goes wrong." _'Of course Envy the voice of reason.'_ "Then it'll rebound, a fail transmutation ricochets onto the one who preformed it, in this case that would be me."

"I'm not going to act like I know anything about alchemy this is all yours." Ling said, for some reason he might have had the idea that he would be attempting to preform the transmutation but he would even know where to start.

"Right." I nodded letting him know that I fully understand what I was about to do. "Hey Envy before I get started there is something I want to ask you." I bent down and started drawing out the mural that was in Xerxes, it was a rough job but it was readable. "The partial mural that I saw in Xerxes, it would have looked more or less like this." I gestured to the drawings of the sand, "This was the first thing that caught my eye." I said pointing to the symbol of God. "It's the symbol of God and it was written upside down, and beneath it is the two headed dragon, the alchemic symbol for a complete life form. Which basically means _'I will strike god down to earth and become a perfect being.'_ " I explained for Ling and he scoffed at it.

"Well that's certainly an arrogant concept." He voiced his opinion. I stood up letting my left arm fall to my side.

"It's not a big deal to talk about it. But then there's this." I walked over to a piece of the mural that had the lion about to eat the red sun. "This takes it over to the next level. AN image of a lion swallowing the sun, symbolizing the philosophers stone. The philosophers stone is made with living humans, isn't that right Envy." I didn't even look to Envy when I said that knowing that I was right, I didn't really need his conformation to prove anything to me, but maybe it would convince Ling that using a stone was wrong.

"Yeah that's right." He didn't even have emotion when he spoke he was obviously bored with the subject at hand and he was just waiting for me to preform the transmutation.

"How could a civilization as advanced as Xerxes fall, let alone in a single night." Everything was coming together, the homunculi were created from the people of Xerxes. "You out the stone fragments here to hide the evidence didn't you?" I wasn't looking for an answer because I knew I was right. "You sacrificed all of Xerxes you turned them into a philosopher stone." I ended, Ling let go of a shallow gasp and I smirked a bit, _'Maybe now he won't use a stone to save the emperor.'_ "Who was it?" I finally turned to the monster behind me. "I want to know who used this to transmute themselves, who slaughter the entire population of a whole country? Who created all of you?" There were so many question but there was only going to be on answer. "Who's trying to make himself powerful enough to surpass God?" Envy looked at me unmoving but I knew he knew. "It was your father wasn't it. Whoever he is he's been using you homunculi to recreate the destruction of Xerxes here in Amestris hasn't he?" At that he smiled and gave me cold feeling.

"You get us out of here and I'll gladly tell you. You've spent enough time beating around the bush and I'm getting tired waiting for you to ask you need a toll to open the portal right?" He opened his mouth wider and out came the philosophers stone. Envy was wrong, yes I did need a toll but I was actually trying to think of a way to leave him here and only escape with Ling, maybe if I bought more time I could think of a away to do that.

"Your body, those are the citizens of Xerxes aren't they?" I asked thinking I could play this off as not wanting to use the stone .

"At one time, but their minds and bodies crumbled, all that's left in energy to be consumed. They don't even remember what they looked like when they were alive." _'but they are still human, they can't be used like that.'_ I thought I frowned and lowered my head at the disrespect Envy had for their lives. "Is that pity? How childish are you? You want to believe these thing are humans because your desperate to believe that your brother still has his humanity." It was like he hit the nail on the head, finding the right pressure point and squeezing it, I looked away from the deformity that was Envy. "Would you hesitate to throw a bundle of logs onto a fire because you pitied the tree they came from? These things can never go back to being human, don't let your emotions decide." Tears slid down my cheeks, _'was there no way to fix Al, was he lost forever,'_ I shook me head banishing those thoughts "Use them as a gift from me to you, now make the transmutation circle to get us out of here." His voice grounded me, I began to make the circle pushing Envy and Ling to the edge of the platform. It wasn't difficult to make the circle I committed it to memory when I was you an right after the incident, hoping I would find something wrong with it but there was nothing wrong and it was perfectly made just like the one I finished in the eerie glow of torch light.

'That should do it." I said and Envy walked into the circle taking up most of it. "Ling this might not work out for me, if so you have to warn people about their plans." I pointed to Envy at the end of the sentence. He walked closer to me and scoffed.

"I'm not concerned about Amestris it's not my country." I clenched my first and glared at him.

"Are you serious, after all we've been through you wouldn't even do that for me?" I couldn't understand this guy.

"You've got people you love waiting for you, just make it back alive and tell them yourself." It was my turn to scoff at the young prince, he pulled me closer and leaned down into a kiss. It was nothing like or first kiss in the train station, then it felt like goodbye but we both knew it wasn't, this one felt sadder as if he doesn't really believe in the words he just told me. My automail was on the back of his neck and my other arm was hanging limply to my side, it was awkward in every way but that's what made it perfect. I heard a gagging noise and pulled out of the kiss blushing.

"Now that that's over with can we get back to the escaping?" Envy asked with and air of laughter to his voice. I nodded and turned to the deformed humans sprouting from Envy.

"I'm sorry but I have to use you." I brought my hands up to clap them together the left one sending waves of pain through my body. "Get ready."The two others backed away to the outskirts of the circle again. The instant my hands touched I dropped to my knees and touched the circle preforming the transmutation. I stood back up feeling the familiar energy that came from human transmutation, I looked at the centre as the eye open. "Long time no see." I spoke to it as an old friend, one whom I haven't seen since I was young and naive. "To bad this isn't when I planned to open you again." This thing left me with nightmares and the less I saw of it the better, now for no good reason at all I'm opening it and begging the nightmares to return. "Ling get in it!" I yelled I didn't turn to see him get de-constructed Envy made his move at the same time, no I had no chance of leaving him behind. The moaning stopped and as there was one head left I could have sworn I heard it say thank you. My body was now being tugged to the portal of truth, I felt no reason to fight against it instead I closed my eyes and let my mind lead the way. I could hear the truth taunting me about getting my body back but I had to give up on the idea just now, I stayed focused until my arm hit something solid and I opened my eyes in shock. I threw my myself off of my left side coughing and clinging to my broken arm, it hurt and would take forever to heal but at least the pain meant that it was still there. The white of the room was blinding, I was used to the darkness, to nothing being visible until it hit you in the face, now this room was so white and clean that there was only a gate of truth with alchemy symbols carved into it. I made it into the empty room but this time it felt off, _'where was the truth why hasn't he confronted me yet?'_ I turned expecting to see him sitting there with my limbs instead sitting in front of another gate of truth was a naked human with long golden hair, it felt familiar somehow. Then when the living skeleton turned and I saw his face I knew who it was, Alphonse. I think I was laughing in joy, that his body was still there and besides starved it was intact, I could feel tears of relief pouring from my eyes, as I stood and ran to him. _'I'm going to fix you little brother just you wait.'_ I was so focused on Al in front of me I didn't hear the doors behind me open, my running became difficult as an army of hands started pulling me backwards to my door.

"Al!, Al!" I screamed fighting against the pull trying to get my little brother to run to me so we can escape together. "Al! Come on! Please! Hurry up!" as the door got closer he finally stood and looked at me like he didn't understand what I was saying. "AL!" I was pushing off of the door trying to stay with my brother.

"I'm sorry I can't, I can only go with my own soul." More tears came from my eyes, it was Al, that was his voice. "I'm sorry I can't go with you." _'Why are you apologizing for none of this is your fault.'_ The pulling became to strong against my battered ribs I let the mass pull me back and the doors close. But once those doors were closed the pulling stopped and before they knew it I ran to the door and opened it again. Al looked shocked at that but I didn't let it stop me the pulling started again and I had no time to waist. "Alphonse! Look at me! I promise, some day soon I'm coming back for you! Just you wait!" The pulling finally dragged my to the doors and they began closing. "WAIT FOR ME!" I screamed as loud as I could right before the doors shut on me and this time I was flung down into to darkness, or maybe I blacked out. The next thing I knew I heard someone calling me sister, was it Al? I opened my eyes to see that somehow during the transmutation Ling and I ended up on top of each other, he looked peaceful when he was asleep. A strong arm pulled me from him quickly and not gently.

"Sister are you okay?" I looked to see a suit of armour holding me tightly.

"Alphonse, your back in your armour, that means."

"We're back in the real world." Ling finished my sentence pushing himself off of Envy and the floor. Al pulled me close into literally a bone crushing hug, I gasped in pain but I let my brother have his moment of welcoming back into the world. He whisper so only I could hear.

"I thought you were dead." I didn't care that my arm was broken I wrapped both of them around my little brother giving him the hug that he so badly deserved.

"I'm okay Al, I'm sorry I scared you." I let go of him and stood up taking the room filled with pipes and wires into full consideration. "Where did we end up though?" I asked trying to see if the room looked familiar and it didn't.

"Well isn't this surprising." I turned to the voice that was familiar, a tall man with long golden hair and white robes walked up to us. "People emerging from his stomach." He stepped into the light, that same square face and beard the bastard.

"Hohenhiem!?" I growled glaring at the man who called himself my father.

 **Cliff hanger, but not really. Long time no see guys how are you doing, I good started another animé so that is taking a lot of my attention right now, and it's also when I realized I haven't updated this in a while so here it is hoped you liked it longest one yet as an apology. Sorry if characters seem OOC but I haven't worked on this story in like a month so there my excuse. I'll be seeing you guys next time in Fathers lair with Ed. Hoped you enjoyed and as always feel free to comment and suggest things, I can take the heat so bring it on.**


	44. GreedLing

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

"Hohenhiem!?" I growled glaring at the man who called himself my father, he changed his appearance from the last time I saw him, he was now wearing white robes that went all the way to the floor.

"Metal limbs, and an armoured body." I straightened my back getting ready for him to explain what the hell he's doing here, he walked up closer getting right into my face I had to take a step back to avoid him touching me. "You two wouldn't happen to be the Elric brothers." That threw me off, Hohenhiem may have been a dead beat father but he at least knew I was a girl.

"So you aren't him?" I asked softly due to the fact that he was still so close to my face.

"I'm afraid you have me mistaken for someone else. Hang on, the name you said is there anyway you mean Van Hohenhiem?" He gave me false hope that he was leaving my personal space until he asked the question and came in even closer now pointing a finger at me. "And how is it the two of you are acquainted with him?" He seemed angry that we knew who our own father was, I didn't like this guy or the eerie feeling he gave me, I looked to Ling who was standing just on the other side of this man and I made eye contact with him and he just shrugged in return.

"He's our Father." Al answered the man and he finally back away from us as if really taking in our appearance now. All of a sudden he lunged at me and grabbed my head one hand covering each of my ears.

"He's your Father!?" I tried not to react to him grabbing me but I could still feel my eyes grow. "This is indeed surprising." He was now turning my head and examining me at different angles. "I had no idea he had children." That's when things got worse, he let go of my head but began patting it instead like someone would do to a dog. I tried to bite back my anger but I didn't know how long it would last for, I could already feel a growl coming from my throat.

"If you are indeed his progeny why is your last name Elric?" _'That does it.'_ I threw his arm off of my head and glared at him.

"Elric was our Mothers name!" I clenched both of my fist, there was a twinge of pain coming from the left one, _'oh right.'_

"Oh is that so." _'was he even paying attention?'_ "So where has he been spending his time?" _'I don't understand this guy.'_

"Who cares! Just forget him who the hell are you?! And why do you look exactly like?!" I yelled at him, it was my turn to ask the questions. He turned and grabbed his beard and starred off into space.

"I know that he can't be dead..." He wasn't even listening to me.

"What the hell is wrong with you listen to me when I am talking to you!" I threw my hands in the air trying to get his attention, Al was saying something but I wasn't listening to him. My rants were cut off by a tight grip on my arm, I yelped loud and high making Al let go of my arm quickly.

"I'm sorry Sister I didn't know." I was holding my arm close to my body and began shooting glares at Al. I let a breath out of my nose trying to calm down and manage the pain.

"It's okay Al, it's okay." My voice was tight and anyone could hear the pain in it.

"It would appear that you are injured, and you are missing your left hand aren't you." _'Oh so now you are paying attention.'_ I watched him carefully as he walked up to Alphonse and touched the gap where his hand should be. The man preformed a transmutation without a circle or clapping his hands, it was impressive, Al's hand was completely reconstructed without making his armour any thinner. He made his way to me and I held my arm closer to my body, obviously he didn't take the notice because he grabbed my arm anyway and pulled it away from my body. I whimpered and Al moved closer to me and the stranger pushed him away. He lifted my arm up and put more pressure on it.

"Your arm appears to be broke." He stated. I tried to break away without making my arm hurt even more but it wasn't working.

"No shit, it's broken." I snapped at him. He touched it with his other hand and there was a weird feeling, it felt like the bone in my arm was reconstructing itself. When he let go I pulled my arm from him and undid the split, it was fixed. I gave him a wide eyed stare trying to understand what just happened. "It's not broken any more." I said full of disbelieve. He put his arms back on my shoulders and was feeling for something else, then his arms travelled down to my side, his hand brushed over my breast and I flinched.

"Are you a woman?" He asked and I blushed and looked away. "You also have broken ribs." And the same feeling the came from my arm came through my ribcage. "I consider the two of you to be vital resources, you must both remain alive and healthy." I held back a scoff when he said that.

"You aren't human." Ling finally spoke getting the attention of everyone in the room. "What are you?" He was on the defence holding his sword at the man. "What the hell is inside of you?"

"I would ask who you are but I honestly don't care." The man retorted not answering anyone's questions, the art of deflection. "You can go ahead and eat him." It was blunt how he said that, Gluttony and Envy who recovered but stayed in the background this whole time now grinned knowing they can safely get rid of Ling.

"What no hold on." I ran to Ling and stood in front of him and the homunculi. "This guys our friend, you want to keep us happy right? Then don't kill him please." My voice went softer pleading with the strange man.

"But I have no need for him. Your friendship is useless to me." He never turned to face me as he walked back to his chair in the centre of the room

"What did you just say?" I asked in disbelief.

"Sister, the homunculi keep calling this man their father." I looked up to my little brother. _'that explains so much.'_ "I think he's the one that created them."

"What?" I asked trying to make it seem that I know less then I really did.

"He did heal our wounds." Al said trying to prove his point. Ling stumbled in front of us.

"He didn't heal mine though." After a few steps he keeled over, I caught him before he hit the ground. "I don't like him, I can see that he looks down on humans, he thinks we're fools."

"That's not true, when you notice an insect on the ground do you stop and consider it a fool? The life of an insect is so beneath you that stopping to consider it would be a waste of time. That would be an accurate summary on how I feel about humans." _'That does it.'_ I clapped my hands and transmuted the ground raising it towards the Father, he didn't even have to move to block it.

"You've might have healed our injuries but that does not mean we are friends. It's pretty apparent that you are the root of all evil, and I'm taking you down, I don't care how many cronies you've got" I yelled to him, I couldn't help and think over the emotional roller coaster my body has been going through within the past twenty four hours, _'has it only been a day since the cabin?'_

"Just who are you calling a crony pipsqueak?" Envy said from across the room.

"PIPSQUEAK!" I yelled, I could feel Alphonse flinch, I clapped my hands and touched the pipes sending them originally at the homunculi, but I changed it's course at the last second sending to the Father and wrapping them around him. "I got you this time boss man." And I did have him for about five seconds until the pipes broke away from him. Envy charged at me but I didn't care he wasn't my target any more, I used him as a spring board and flew over him into a transmuted piece of the floor, I pushed off of it and rolled away. I got away untouched until Envy broke the wall and it fell on top of me. I wasn't sure if I blacked out or not until I opened my eyes and saw Ling getting flung backwards, it couldn't have been more then a few seconds but it was long enough. "How does he do that?" It was a rhetorical question but I still wanted answer. "It's like he can transmute just by thinking about it." I pointed out hoping some one would tell me that I was wrong.

"This is a waste of time." Father said and red sparks was sent up straight into the sky giving the room a red glow, I felt a shiver run down my spine. I looked to Al and somehow he felt it as well, we clapped our hands together and touched the ground I was trying to transmute anything from it but nothing came. I felt hollow, without my alchemy. A heavy weight pressed down on my back and I was pushed to the ground.

"Edelle!" Ling yelled and came running until Gluttony tackled him.

"NO! Don't please don't eat him!" I begged struggling for breath under Envy's weight. I clapped again but still nothing happen. "What the hell did he do to us?"

"I don't know, why doesn't our alchemy work?" Al answered my question with a one of his own. Envy laughed moving his feet up and down pushing us farther into the ground.

"You lower life forms are so pitiful, you get a speak of power and think you are unstoppable, but you don't even know what that power is. And then you have the arrogance to assume you have control of that power, you're like a bad joke that just keeps getting worse." If I don't have my alchemy I have no hopes of stopping them no matter what their plan is.

"What are you bastards planning?" I yelled from the ground. "Envy you promised you'd tell me everything if I got you out."

"Hmm what are you talking about I don't remember that." Envy said faking innocence. "I would never stoop so low as to make a deal with you."

"You liar!" I yelled at the homunculus

"You've talked to much Envy." The man in the white robes spoke.

"Oh sorry." The monster apologized.

"You may prove to be useful to me after all." He was now looking at Ling, and my heart turned to ice. "I could always use a new pawn in the rotation." He pointed to his forehead, and Ling gasped, I was too far and couldn't see it but it didn't seem good.

"Is that a philosopher stone." Al asked I looked to my younger brother in panic.

"You're really going to do that?" Envy asked, and I felt like I couldn't breath and it wasn't caused by Envy on top of me.

"Do what?" I croaked out fearing the worse, and not knowing what the worse was.

"He's going to make a new homunculus." Envy answered, and my heart dropped. _' . . . .'_

"Get away from him!" I yelled hoping he would back off.

"The stone gets mixed into the blood stream and if they survive you create a human based homunculus. But it's much more common for the stone to overpower the human and kill them." Gluttony took a band aid of of Lings cheek as Father walked closer.

"Please no! Don't do it! Please no!" I was crying and begging for him to get away from Ling. I tried to fight Envy and throw him off of me but he was too heavy. "Let him go!, Ling fight back please! Ling don't let him do this to you!" I was crying and fighting, but nothing was working. I felt clod metal touch my back and remember the gun, I reached back and grabbed it pointing it at Envy but I couldn't shoot. One of the faces was crying and looking right to me.

"Don't shoot Ed. It's going to be okay, this is exactly what I want so you just stay out of it."

"Are you serious I can't let you do this."

"I came to this country to find the philosopher stone, and now this man is going to give me one, and I'm not going to turn this down."

"Think about this Ling, think about what you are doing, what about Lan Fan, what about me?" I was doing anything to get him to fight back but nothing was working.

"I'm sorry." and with that sound left and it seemed to move in slow motion, the stone falling and landing on Ling.

"No Don't!" I was pretty sure I screamed it but the only sound I could hear was the blood rushing in my ears. The silence was ended when Ling started to scream in pain. His body started to convulse and I had to close my eyes, he screams got louder and more pained and tears streaked out of my eyes, and the same feeling I haven't felt since Nina returned, _'was Ling turn into someone else I couldn't save?'_ The screaming stopped and I looked again to see Ling on his knees and his body fall limply, my heart beat slowed and grew louder _'was he alright?'_ "Ling?" my voice barely above a whisper but he still heard it.

"What? Oh you mean the guy I took this body from?" It was his body, but not his voice he was gone, I lost him. "But your friend just checked out and gave greed this body." He held up his hand and pulled off the bandage showing the ouroboros tattoo.

"So you aren't Ling?" Al asked he was so naive, Ling was long gone.

"Did you say Greed?"

 **Hey guys I'm back within the same week, it's been a while right but I loved this part in the series so I just had to right it. This was only the first half of the episode and the other should follow soon. I'll see you next time where Ed and GreedLing battle it out. Feel free to comment and suggest as always.**


	45. To Wrath

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

"Did you say Greed?" I asked, it felt like my stomach dropped, Greed kicked my ass the last time that I fought him. I shifted under Envy's foot trying to wiggle out. "Wait does that mean that you are the Greed from the Devil's Nest?" I asked looking at the young prince that wasn't the young prince any more. His eyes were open and cold looking, no signs of joy coming from them, he even walked differently no longer taking graceful steps instead taking solid strides across the room. He squatted down and looked at me, he looked curious like he was examining something.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" His voice was different to, it no longer had his accent and now was deep and velvety sounding. I felt hurt that he didn't remember me not even as Greed.

"You don't remember us?" I asked and his vision shifted to Al.

"From Dublith?" Al added trying to spark his memory. Ling simply pointed at Al and said

"You've must have met another Greed."

"There was another Greed before you." Father stated, Ling turned to him as if that explained everything.

"I got you that makes sense." He was rubbing the back of his neck. "But if you want to hear it from me I'm not the Greed from before." I wasn't sure how to respond to that, on the plus side it meant that it wasn't the same monster as before, but it probably meant a new homunculus all together.

"But Ling." I simple said asking whether or not he was still there.

"He was an interesting kid," He stood up while talking forcing me to stain my neck to keep his face in view. "He gave up his body without any fight at all." _'No, Ling wouldn't have giving up so easily.'_

"You're lying! Ling would never give himself up so easily!" I yell voicing my thoughts "Answer me Ling! Answer me!" I was yelling trying to get Ling to come out and prove him wrong, that there was still fight in him. He only chuckled at me but he suddenly stopped looking forward. I tried to listen but I heard nothing but something drop to the floor. The was also someone talking but it was so high pitched I thought it was a mouse, there was also a lower voice that I thought I recognized, I tried turning but Envy put more weight on my chest. Ling was clapping now and I looking at him arching my eyebrows,

"Now that is a touching reunion right there." _'What the fuck is he talking about?'_ I tried to push Envy off of my but I felt a tight pinch in my side, it wasn't a broken rib, but it hurt enough to make me stop struggling, _'no not now.'_ it was still there and it wasn't a pinch it was a full blown cramp right in my gut area. I closed my eyes and tried to control my breathing to lessen the pain, I faintly hear someone call me little and my eyes snapped open and I tried to see who it was. There was a little girl from Xing with that stupid cat Al was carrying with him she was standing right next to Scar. She started yelling at me calling me small for now reason, _'what the hell did I ever do to her?'_

"Who are you calling micro? You grain of rice girl!" I yelled, sure it wasn't my best insult but given the circumstances I didn't care. I could hear Al chaste me for yelling at her but I don't have any patience to deal with whiny brats. Al and I were arguing back and forth until Envy began talking.

"Go ahead and eat him he doesn't have his alchemy to stop you." I braced myself thinking he was talking about me or Al but Gluttony charged to the door headed right to Scar. I didn't know who I wanted to win more, Scar or Gluttony, if Gluttony won that meant no more Scar and if Scar won no more Gluttony it was a win win situation. The little brat threw knives at me but missed hitting a rock just beside Envy she then touched the ground and Envy's weight was throw off of my by a hand made out of stone. I landed on my feet, I smiled now that their alchemy was working it was safe to say that ours was working too. Al and I clapped our hands and touched the ground but nothing happened. _'Oh come on!'_ I stood and ran away from the homunculi, I wasn't helpless without my alchemy but I wasn't going to get into a fight that I didn't need to be in. I heard a familiar clanking behind me Al was close behind me.

"It still isn't working!"

"Then why is theirs?" I saw a piece of rubble large enough to cover Al and I I cleared it in one jump and ducked, I could feel Al right behind me, I peaked out from around the rock and saw the little girl and Scar fighting the homunculi.

"I don't understand sister, why is their alchemy still working but ours isn't?"

"I don't know I have no idea. But I think this is our chance to turn things around." I was pulling a half assed plot together if I did say so myself. I ran from our behind the rock and back to the battle. "Scar!" I screamed and from across the room he looked at me, "I'll tell you the truth about the Ishvalan Rebellion!" I could see his eye grow wide, and I took a breath knowing that it was now or never. "The murder case of the child that became the cause of the civil war, the guy who did it was a homunculus called Envy, he disguised himself as a military official and shot the child on purpose!" I took looked at him to see the detail registering on his face, now it was only a matter of whether he believed me or not. He was saying something I could see his lips moving but I couldn't hear what he was saying, it became clear what he decided when he attacked Gluttony. I stayed still on the rock that I was perched on, I gripped my stomach with my automail trying to put pressure on the cramp hoping in vain that it would go away. Ling walked right in front of me oblivious to me even being there. _'I know you're still in there Ling.'_ "Ling" I tried to see if he would respond, he looked to me with those strange eyes and held up his hand with the ouroboros tattoo.

"Nope just Greed." And with that he changed his hand into that shield, fingers turned into claws and his smile turned violent. _'Well if he wanted a fight.'_ I jumped off of the rock and walked closer to him and he took a few steps back, I knit my eyebrows together curious on why he was backing away from me, _'Was he scared that I was going to beat him, or was it what the other Greed said, that he doesn't fight girls.'_ I was going to take a chance and while I had the upper hand I started walked closer and he backed away farther until I was chasing him around the room, Ling always staying just in front of me. It was a swift motion that turned him around and years of reflex that brought my leg up to kick his chest. I felt the shock of my automail hitting against his shield, it hurt like a bitch and it made me glad that Winston new what he was doing when he made the leg. I stumbled backwards and Ling laughed, his voice was so much deeper now and it was strange coming from his body. "That was some kick, looks like this is going to be more interesting than I thought." And with that he lunged at me forcing me to move back. He kept throwing punches at me with his armoured arm and I was having a difficult time blocking them, this was like the first Greed all over again.

"You idiot prince!" I yelled as I got on the au-fence and threw a punch at him which he blocked. I pushed closer to him and met his eyes with my own. "Wake up Ling I know you're in there."

"I'm Greed.' he corrected, I could hear strain on his voice when he spoke. _'At least I'm putting up a fight this time.'_ I joked to myself.

"Give. Ling. His. Body. Back." I bite off each word trying to persuade him by force.

"Sorry can't do that." He slammed his head down into mine and as I ducked down to hold where he hit his knee met my side pushing me over. I brought my arms in close I tried to control my breathing so the pain wouldn't get to me. He swung at me from high and I stepped out of the way and jumped bringing my foot down onto his back. It didn't knock him over but he used the force of it to stand and face me again, he swung getting reckless and not caring about accuracy so I easily ducked again and brought my hand up and punched his chin, as his head was thrown back I tried to bring my elbow down onto his stomach and knock the wind out of him but my automail was met by his shield and I ricochetted off of him. He tried to come in closer but I dropped down and swept his feet out from underneath him. He landed hard onto the ground and I stood screaming.

"Give up Ling already you idiot." Not sure if I was screaming at Ling or Greed. I dropped down to straddle Ling and went to punch him in the same fluid movement, he caught my fist with his hand holding it away from his face. "What about your country?!" Ling, I was talking to Ling, "Have you forgotten about Lan Fan? What about me?!" I screamed and went to punch him with my left hand knowing that if he change his skin to his shield that my hand would break, but I didn't care he needed to hear me. My fist made contact and it didn't break but Ling gave me a glare that could kill. We where like that for who knows how long and he didn't make a move and the longer I looked at him his glare turned to a blank stare like when you're thinking about something. I leaned in closer to get a better look and that was my mistake. He grabbed my hand and twisted it at angle to no hand should be twisted and and put his feet on my collar bones right above my breast pinning me to the ground, and still holding my arm.

"Hey Pops I caught him for you!" _'HIM!? Did Greed really think that I was a boy?!'_

"Take him upstairs." Father said. _'Upstairs? What's upstairs?'_ "I want him taken directly to wrath."I rolled my eyes and threw my head back, _'Not another homunculus.'_ There was a loud bang and Ling got off of me I pulled my hand in close to see if it was really alright. I stood up and held my arm to my side and I saw Envy holding Al, I gasped and slowly walked to Al.

"Si-" He started but I cut him off with a look and he knew that now wasn't the time. "Ed." I walked a little closer but turned to see Ling standing next to the man in white looking so comfortable like he belonged there but I knew he didn't.

"He's in there, I know it. Ling's alive." It was all that I was willing to say right then, I didn't take my eyes off of Ling but I still knew that Al nodded taking what I said as the truth.

 **Don't hate me I know it's been awhile but I brought you guys something for the holidays this post :) Sorry for the longest wait of you life but I promise you you'll get another one before my break is over. How many of you can guess what's wrong with our girl, yes I know it's going to be cheesy and clichéd but it's true and it does happen when you least expect. I hope you guys have an awesome holiday season and stay safe I will see you guys soon. And as always feel free to comment and suggest.**


	46. Worst Meeting So Far

**I don** **'t own Fullmetal Alchemist or Brotherhood. But there will be some direct lines from the story.**

 **This story deals with a gender-swapped Ed.**

 **And please feel free to comment and or give suggestion.**

Watching Envy shrink down into his regular size disturbing, and that's not going into any details. He pushed us to the doors and lead us to the exit Al and I walked side by side, it was a narrow hallway with pipes and grates on the ceiling. I felt my hand grabbing my mid section due to the cramps that were getting felt like they spreading through my chest. I was really glad that I only own black pants, because if I was right about what is happening I would be mortified. It was silent, which is weird considering that Envy was there and most of the time I couldn't get him to shut up most of the time. At the end of the hall was a door that looked strangely like an elevator door, the homunculus walked to the door and it opened. It was white, and stood pout from the dark hallway that we have been walking in.

"Hey where are you taking us?" I finally broke the silence. He turned back and looked at me, and at that moment I was aware that I was covered in dried blood and sweat.

"Just get in." He walked into the door and I exhaled through my nose, _'Thanks for answering my question.'_ Both Al and I walked into the spacious elevator that was large enough to fit the three of us without Al crushing us because of his large armour. The floor started to hum as the door shut and I felt the jerk of the elevator carrying us up. I glared at Envy the entire ride but after a while Envy straightened and transformed changing his appearance into one of a solider. I looked away in disgust wondering if that was the face that he wore when he shot the Ishvalan child. After he changed he moved to the doors and Al and I came closer behind him, trying to get a peak of where their lab was underneath. The doors opened and Envy walked out not even hesitating and I saw huge windows overlooking something that looked like central command, then it clicked

"It's central command we where right under it the whole time." Al said voicing my thoughts. I just stood looking out into the sun light that I haven't seen in what felt like days.

"You guys are covered in filth." Envy pointed out the obvious. I gave him a puzzled look.

"So?"

"Just follow me okay." Envy snapped at me and I rolled my eyes but followed the homunculus.

Envy lead us to the men's shower room and stopped in front of it, he crossed his arms and started tapping his foot.

"Well shrimp get in and get clean." I clenched my fist. I could feel my anger rise.

"Are you brain dead Envy? I'm a girl and you know it what's the idea with the men's shower room?" I started loud but finished in an angry whisper.

"Oh so you've given up on keeping it a secret? I could just march you over to the girls one right now but seeing how it's almost lunch I thought every second counted, and the woman's shower is on the other side of the building it would take a while to walk there." He had me, I gave out a frustrated sigh but nodded. I pushed opened the door and started to walk through, I heard Al move closer to me.

"Al can you stand guard and make sure nobody else comes in?" I asked but I wasn't up for any debate, even though his armoured helmet showed no emotions I could still tell that he was hesitant, "You can come in when I'm done okay?" Al backed off at that, curiosity flared up inside of me, _'why is Al so desperate to be in the same room as me? Was it because of the whole getting eaten thing?'_ I nodded at him and pushed the door open to the shower room. It had the faint smell of cleaning product but knowing this was the men's room I didn't know how clean the room actually was. I kicked my remaining boot off and walked into the shower. I shut the stall door behind me and started to strip, I pulled off my shirt and it fell to the floors with a sickening squelch. I pulled the pants off next the wet leather clinging to my skin making me consider to use alchemy and just cut them off of my body, I got them off and threw them over to the discarded shirt. I was now standing in the stall in nothing but my underwear and I knew Envy was on the other side of that door, and if someone walked in I would be screwed, but the dried blood that clung to my body made me think the risk was worth it. Next came the underwear, I started grabbing at the binding around my chest I finally hooked my hand under the fabric and yanked free my chest from one of the layers. I took a deep breath when it came off and unhooked the bra with ease. Next came the boxers, judging by the cramps that are steadily throbbing in my lower chest I would say it was _that_ time of the month. I pulled them down slowly and saw exactly what I expected. _'Shit, of course it's happening now, it's not like anything important is going on right now!'_ I screamed at myself I ran my hands threw my hair and took a calming breath. _'That explains why I've been so over emotional.'_ I knew my emotions went crazy around this time, I just needed to try and stay calm and away from stressful situation. _'Like your life for the past few year?'_ I mocked myself. I threw the boxers into the pile and turned the hot water on full while I pulled my hair out.

It was the best shower of my life but it also had to be one of the shortest. I had a towel wrapped around my chest covering me like a dress would and a small one that held my hair up. Alphonse was sitting in the corner of the room now and Envy took my clothes to wash them. Al was uncomfortable, I could tell because he was looking everywhere else besides me.

"Al are you alright?" I questioned, he seemed so worried before and now it looked like he's trying to avoid me. He straightened and looked down.

"It's just, that well, sister you're naked." He said shyly.

"Oh." my eyebrows raised and I could feel the blush grow on my cheeks. "Well just ignore it, I'm your sister and covered in a towel. You are good, nothing to worry about, just keep looking at the wall if it makes you uncomfortable." _'That was awkward.'_ I thought and turned away from Al. "I have big news, huge actually. And it proves that everything we have been doing hasn't been in vain." I walked over and leaned on the sink.

"Well what is it?" Al asked tilting his head towards me.

"I found your body." I smiled as I said that thinking back to the skinny body that my brother was missing.

"REALLY?! You actually found my BODY?!" He sounded so happy I didn't have the heart to shush him and make him quiet.

"I saw it when I was getting out of Gluttony's stomach, I met after passing through the gate." I scuffed the ground with my automail foot and crossed my arms putting pressure on the cramps. "It told me that I couldn't bring him back." I was concerned with his reaction to that bit of information.

"So it's out there… Yes! Yes! What a relief, I'm so glad it didn't rot or anything." He sounded so happy and content. I just thought of the bones I could clearly see under his skin.

"Yup. We're another step closer to our goal."

"Wait to pass through the gate! What was the cost?" He turned around and looked at me expecting that something obvious would be missing. "Ed are you okay you look like you are going to be sick.

"Al I'm fine"

"Are you? You look like you are going to throw up."

"Oh my God Al just forget it, it's nothing unnatural." I said in a tone that let him know the conversation was over.

"Oh…OH! I'm sorry I didn't know um are you going to be okay?" I could tell he would have been blushing if he could.

"It was the Philosopher's stone inside of Envy." I changed the conversation quickly shutting down the previous one.

"The stone! You mean you used the lives of people?" Al judged.

"Apparently Envy's stone was made by gathering the souls of the people of Xerxes." I defended "They had no bodies or minds to return to, they were just energy waiting to be consumed."

"That's… Logically that may be true but..."

"The success of human transmutation of oneself has been proven. If you have the philosopher's stone you can pass through the gate without payment." I started drying off my hair and took off the small towel that was wrapped around it. "Now we just need to figure a way to pull your body out of there."

"But that energy you're talking about, it's originally-" His voice was caught between judgement and concern.

"We don't have time to worry about that. We gotta get it out off there fast."

"And you're okay with that?! I'm-"

"You haven't seen that body!" I yelled for the first time really looking at my little brother and trying to imagine his really body there. "And if you had seen that shrivelled up form you wouldn't waist a day…" My volume died down as I saw a little black and white cat like animal climb up on to Al's shoulders. "Why is that black and white cat here?" Al stood and tossed a pair of underwear at me

"Just hurry up and put some underwear on." I grabbed them and walked back into the shower stall for some privacy, there were only the bottoms but I assumed Envy was going to be bring the rest back with him.

"You had these the whole time and you didn't tell me?"

"Don't be mad but that girl is inside of me." I felt panicked, there was someone else in the room and she was here the whole time and I've been in nothing but a towel.

"WHAT THE HELL AL!" I yelled and ducked under the shower stall wall, trying the hide in the small area. The door opened and I looked over the edge, Envy walked back into the room holding my clothes.

"What's going on in here?" he asked as he walked in.

"Nothing, just I slipped on a bar of soap." It was rushed and sounded fake but he seemed to accept it. He tossed the clothes at me and turned to shut the door while saying.

"Just hurry up and get dress alright, people are going to start to question why this bathroom is closed off." The door shut and I tossed a bar of soap that I found in the stall at it. It hit the floor in a deformed way and Al just looked at it. I opened the door to pick up the clothes and made eye contact with Al.

"This conversation isn't over." and with that I pulled my pants on not realizing how light the pants were when they where covered in blood. There was only three other pieces of clothing a t-shirt a button up and a jacket. "Shit, Al get Envy back in here" I said while checking the pockets. Envy re-entered the room looking confused. "Where is it?" I asked

"Where's what?" He played dumb, there was a cruel smile on his face.

"My bra you lizard want-to-be. Remember you owe me I got you out of there." I glared at him and he shrugged his shoulders and reached into his pockets and pulled it out.

"You're no fun." He said tossing it to me.

"And you can leave my boots beside the door on your way out." I replied, he shut the door and I quickly pulled the bra on hooking it up in the back. "What an ass-hole." I muttered and dressed myself the rest of the way, the binder was missing but I could slouch and the clothes were baggy enough that unless you were looking at them you couldn't tell.

 **FMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFMFM**

Envy was walking us through the hallway just far enough that he could keep us in sight but not in hearing range.

"Al what are we going to do about the bean girl?" I whispered to him.

"What ever we do we have to do it soon, she's injured and needs to see a doctor." _'Of course she does,'_

"Where do we take her?" I thought that it might be to supisious if we took her to the hospital that Brosh and Ross took me.

"To doctor Knox's place?" I ran my hand threw my hair and sighed in frustration.

"We have to try to not cause trouble for anybody." I started to braid my hair now that it was drier then before. Envy stopped at to doors that reached the ceiling. They were dark wood and had the Amestris symbol carved into them. _'Who could Wrath be?'_ I asked myself

"Now it's up to Wrath to figure out what to do with you guys." He gestrued to the door and pulled it open "Get in."

I took a calming breath and lead the way in. When I saw who was sitting in the room I was shocked, both Hughes and Colonel Mustang where sitting at a round table with two free spots. Mustang looked pissed beyond all recognition his arms and legs were crossed. There was a man pouring tea and he looked nervous I stepped farther in and saw someone I would never believe was there, the Fuhrer, I knew the other two men weren't Wrath that left the leader of the country.

"Colonel?" I asked walking up to the empty seat to his left.

"Hey, Fullmetal." He calmly said.

"Please do sit down." The Fuhrer said and I pulled the chair beside Mustang out and sat in it leaving Al sitting closer the Wrath and Hughes on the other side of Mustang. I felt another wave of cramps hit me and I crossed my arms and pressed down on them. This was going to be the worse meeting of my life.

 **Hi Guys! So I guess you thought this story was dead and to be honest I put this on the farthest back burner that I have, but now that I'm on winter break and back into anime(I had a fall out after finishing Attack on Titan) I thought I should update again. So while I'm here Happy Holidays! And Hopefully I'll be seeing you guys again soon!**


End file.
